Flu, RSV, COVID, oh my! – Park Rapids Enterprise

Respiratory viruses have been very active across the United States and in Minnesota in recent weeks.

As of December 22, the flu has killed more than 50 people and hospitalized 2,300, according to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).

Influenza-like illness has caused approximately 40 outbreaks in long-term care facilities and 900 in schools. Meanwhile, COVID-19 infections are on the rise, with RSV hospitalizations peaking at about 200 per week, compared with 40-60 during the normal season. MDH reported.

Hospitalizations for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) tend to be mostly children, putting a strain on pediatric units across Minnesota, reports MDH.

On the other hand, many flu patients report mumps-like symptoms.

“We see flu A patients coming in with painful swellings in one or sometimes both jaws,” said Audrey Bracelle, a nurse practitioner at Essentia Health Park Rapids Highway. 34 Clinic: “For the flu, it’s a little different than what we normally see.

“Often people worry about mumps because it is associated with the symptoms of mumps. It seems to appear a few days later.”

Brasel said it has yet to see a positive case of influenza B this season. “It was all influenza A,” she said.

She compares this year’s flu epidemic to previous years, when people were primarily tested for COVID-19 and clinics across the state did not report many positive flu tests. said that it is difficult to

“The flu wasn’t that big of a topic,” she said.

Over the past month or so, “perhaps 80% of patients who come to walk-in clinics present with flu-like symptoms and test positive for influenza A,” Brasel said.

She explained that this year’s influenza A is similar to last year’s strain, with the usual symptoms of body aches, fever, chills, fatigue and sometimes loss of appetite.

“Obviously people are going out and gathering more in a few years,” she said. So everything is spreading faster and easier.

“And this year there’s been a bit of a shortage of Tamiflu, a drug that can be used to treat symptoms of influenza A. It should be used within the first 72 hours of illness.

“This year we’ve had a shortage of it, so we have to be more selective about who we prescribe to – the very young, the elderly, those with compromised immune systems, and those who are at high risk of developing serious complications. did. “

Brasel said this year’s RSV season will also be significant, although it has started to decline in the past two weeks.

Acknowledging that RSV has received a lot of media coverage this year as the number of cases has skyrocketed, she noted that it mainly affects children under the age of two.

“We’re worried about that because they can exacerbate respiratory symptoms and make it difficult to breathe,” she said. more people are being tested for

Brasel said health care providers should use discretion over who to test for the disease, due to limited resources and costs to patients. “We were only going to test her children under the age of two,” she said.

She pointed out that people with COPD and asthma may experience some worsening RSV symptoms, but not like small children.

“We’ve definitely seen very high numbers this year,” she said, again acknowledging that providers haven’t been testing as much for RSV in the last two years of COVID.

As for the coronavirus disease itself, Brasell said, “It’s kind of a decline and a decline.”

The first few strains of COVID-19 were stronger viruses, she said. As it replicates, it becomes weaker but more contagious.

“In the last week or two, it seems that these numbers are starting to rise again when it comes to positive COVID patients, but the symptoms are not as severe.”

In terms of case numbers, Brasel calls influenza, RSV, and COVID the current “big three.” Other problems she’s seen include some cases of bacterial pneumonia, best dealt with by staying home, resting, and staying hydrated.

“Sometimes people need treatment, but for the most part it’s just symptom management.”