'Tis the season for respiratory ailments. Numbers from the Pennsylvania Department of Health show a steady trend in new cases or hospitalizations involving COVID-19, RSV or influenza. Those figures have seen a general upward trend in recent weeks heading into the Christmas and New Year holiday season. Dec. Pennsylvania had more than 9,400 new cases of influenza A in the week ending the 23rd, the latest consecutive increase from earlier weeks of the flu season. RSV, which has been on the rise for several consecutive weeks, saw 5,080 new cases in the same period. UPMC's infectious disease specialist Dr. Although John Goldman said that RSV had not yet peaked, it marked a decrease of 400 cases. across the region,” he said. Although no new Covid-19 infections were being recorded, hospital data showed more than 1,110 new cases were added in the week ending Dec. 16. Goldman said the number of people coming to the hospital with Covid-19. Medical staff continue to see the need for treatment. However, it is manageable.” “We have only 30 patients hospitalized for Covid in our hospital system. Now we have 70,” he said. UPMC recently took action to re-require face masks in its hospital systems to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses to people at high risk for complications. Goldman said people don't get sick from COVID-19 because of immunity. But vaccines — And isolating when experiencing symptoms — he added, are important to prevent the spread of diseases, especially during holiday events when many people may be exposed to the virus.” Do not send your child to school. A small cold, because a small cold can be covid. It could be the flu,” he said. “If you think you have a small cold or think you might have the flu, you shouldn't go to work yourself.”
'Tis the season for respiratory ailments.
Numbers from the Pennsylvania Department of Health show a steady trend in new cases or hospitalizations involving COVID-19, RSV or influenza. Those figures have seen a general upward trend in recent weeks during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Pennsylvania had more than 9,400 new cases of influenza A in the week ending Dec. 23, the latest consecutive increase from previous weeks as the flu season builds.
RSV has been trending upward for several consecutive weeks, with 5,080 new cases during the same period. UPMC's infectious disease specialist Dr. Although John Goldman said that RSV had not yet peaked, it marked a decrease of 400 cases.
“We have the most overcrowded pediatric wards and we have the most overcrowded pediatric ICUs across the region,” he said.
Although no new COVID-19 infections were recorded anymore, hospital data showed that more than 1,110 new cases were added in the week ending December 16.
Goldman said the number of people coming to the hospital with COVID-19 remains manageable, although medical staff are seeing a steady number of people who need treatment.
“In our hospital system we have only 30 patients hospitalized for Covid. Now we have 70,” he said.
UPMC recently took action to re-require face masks in its hospital settings to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses to those at high risk of complications.
Goldman said people don't get sick from COVID-19 because of immunity. But vaccinations — and isolation when experiencing symptoms — are important to prevent the spread of diseases, he said, especially during holiday events when many people may be exposed to the virus.
“You shouldn't send your child to school with a small cold because a small cold could be Covid. It could be the flu,” he said. “If you think you have a small cold or think you might have the flu, you shouldn't go to work on your own.”
