RSV may peak in Maine, but flu hospitalizations are on the rise

The rate of increase in pediatric RSV hospitalizations has begun to moderate in Maine, while cases have plateaued elsewhere.

But flu hospitalizations are starting to rise, putting Maine’s hospitals under increasing strain from three diseases: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), seasonal flu, and COVID-19.

Dr. Mary Ottolini, chief of pediatrics at Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital in Portland, said:

Maine health officials say they hope RSV cases will subside in the coming weeks as the peak winter flu season arrives.

Dr. Ashish Jah, the White House’s head of coronavirus response, told ABC News earlier this week:

Unlike other infectious diseases, No robust system Lack of a vaccine or effective treatment is the main reason why there is no place to track RSV cases. Health authorities interpret general trends based on anecdotal reports from hospital and pediatric primary care practices.

RSV is a common virus that usually circulates each winter, but this year it started to spike in the fall. This is the first autumn that widespread COVID-19 restrictions, such as masking, that have kept COVID and other viral diseases in check for the past few years, have been lifted. .

In older children and adults, RSV infection causes mild cold-like symptoms such as runny nose, cough, and congestion. However, in very young children, babies and toddlers, RSV can cause severe respiratory problems and lead to pneumonia.

RSV cases are still rising in Maine, but the rate of increase is slowing, Ottorini said. In other parts of the country, including Massachusetts and New York, Ottorini said he had seen spikes in RSV at least weeks before the epidemic in Maine.

“Eventually, RSV will plateau[in Maine]in the next few weeks,” Ottorini said, but flu and other respiratory viruses could rise.

Maine has recently seen an increase in influenza infections. More than half of her 1,652 flu cases reported in Maine were recorded in the past week. According to the Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he had 17 flu hospitalizations this past week, nearly half of her 39 flu hospitalizations in the state so far this season.

Other parts of the country, including much of the East Coast, have seen a spike in flu cases. , reported low levels of influenza during the same period. Maine’s CDC was unable to explain Friday afternoon’s discrepancy.

Meanwhile, the 87-bed pediatrics bed at Barbara Bush Hospital, which has spurred RSV cases, is full and has been abandoned for more than a month, hospital officials say. Ottorini said he had to postpone about 10 non-emergency surgeries (mainly ear, nose and throat surgeries) in the past month because RSV patients were crushed.

But Ottorini said the hospital system has learned from the experience of COVID-19 how to flex resources to best care for patients. For example, older pediatric patients in their teens can be treated on adult wards if needed.

“We have done everything we can to adjust our practices so that we can treat more patients,” said Ottorini.

At Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, another Maine hospital that receives a large number of pediatric patients, 29 of its 52 pediatric beds were full on Friday.

Dr. James Jarvis, System Incident Command for Northern, said: Light Health, the parent company of EMMC.

Ottorini said influenza is a concern, but it tends to be less severe in younger children compared to older patients who are more likely to require hospitalization for the flu.

A flu vaccine offers hope of easing the harshness of winter. MaineHealth chief health improvement officer Dora Anne Mills, Ph.D., said in an early indication that her vaccine is suitable for influenza A H3N2, the circulating influenza strain.

Anyone over the age of 6 months can get the flu shot, and people over the age of 5 can get it even if they have not yet received a COVID-19 booster. Many pharmacies and primary care practices will offer eligible patients booster shots of the flu and her COVID-19 during the same visit.

Mills said he hopes RSV cases will go down, bringing some relief to the health system, even as flu cases are about to rise.

“Many of the countries are experiencing very high levels of influenza right now,” Mills said. “It’s coming before us, and we won’t get away from it. But fortunately, we have the tools we need to take care of ourselves and each other.” .”

Mills said people should consider wearing masks in crowded indoor public places, practice good hygiene, stay home when sick, and stay up to date on flu and COVID-19 vaccinations. I said I should try to get the information.

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