Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Washington 2024-25 Flu Season

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Washington 2024-25 Flu Season

    Seattle Children's Hospital
    12/4/24

    Updated Masking and Visitation Guidelines

    Due to high rates of respiratory illnesses in our community, we’ve made changes to our masking and visitation guidelines.

    We require patients, families, and visitors to wear a medical mask in all clinical areas. This includes exam rooms, waiting rooms, procedure areas, inpatient rooms and hallways. We recommend masking in all other areas of the hospital and clinics, but it is not required.

    For patients coming for a clinic visit, Urgent Care and Emergency Department: At all of our clinics, we recommend that only 1 parent or adult caregiver come with a patient to their appointment. However, up to 4 people may come to the appointment with the patient. Siblings who are younger than 1 year old can come and are not included in the total number of people allowed at the visit.
    ​...

    Important Information for Viral Respiratory Testing

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, viral respiratory testing saw a significant increase. However, a large portion of these tests do not impact clinical management and are often unnecessary. Third-party payers have now stopped reimbursing for viral panels that test for more than seven pathogens, which are costly (around $700). When reimbursement is denied, either the patient will be billed, or Seattle Children’s must absorb the cost. In contrast, shorter panels that test only for RSV, influenza, and COVID-19 are still covered by insurance. Some patients are referred to SCH specifically for viral testing, and when this testing is not necessary, addressing patient and family expectations can be time-consuming, especially if they believe they are there for viral testing. Families should be prepared that, if viral testing is deemed clinically appropriate, it will typically be performed using a panel that identifies only influenza, RSV, and COVID-19.

    ...
    • ED Volumes: Our ED volumes have increased slightly over the past few weeks.
    • Influenza: Influenza activity continues to be low nationally and locally. Locally, we have not yet seen the steep part of the rise. Most of short panels will still be negative. We continue to monitor national Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) news. There have been two pediatric cases, one in Vancouver, BC and one in California. Neither had the usual agricultural exposures. Despite that, most of your index of suspicion should be focused on patients with exposure to known cases or exposure to livestock or poultry. If you are concerned, you should contact public health and infection prevention. PPE is gown, gloves, eye protection and N95 or equivalent.
    • RSV: For the second straight week, RSV positives have risen sharply. We are still 3-5 weeks away from peak, which will likely occuraround the new year. Latest data is that nirsevimab reduces RSV-associated medical visits by more than 80%. Encourage patients, friends and family to get it if available and eligible.
    • SARS-CoV-2: National and local COVID numbers are nearing recent nadirs. Wastewater activity across the country is down.
    • Mpox: The ongoing outbreak in Central and East Africa continues. It is caused by the more virulent Clade Ia subvariant. The US has confirmed the first case of Clade I Mpox in California. There was a low-risk exposure to a WA resident from that case. The contact was asymptomatic throughout their incubation period and received post-exposure prophylaxis. Clade II Mpox is still being diagnosed weekly in WA, although rates are much lower than 2022. Mpox testing is available at Seattle Children’s – if you feel your patient may have Mpox and want them tested, please call Mission Control at 206-987-8899.
    • Other Respiratory Viruses: Rhino/enterovirus positives remain the most common positive at Seattle Children’s. Rhino/entero positives happen all year but tend to spike at the start of the school year. Adenovirus and parainfluenza are elevated but remain at relatively low levels. Fall parainfluenza activity is associated with croup and laryngitis and is mostly caused by parainfluenza 1 and 2.
    ​continued: https://www.seattlechildrens.org/hea...n-update-1224/




  • #2
    Washington State Influenza Update
    Week 50: December 8 - 14, 2024


    State Summary
    • Influenza-like illness activity was moderate during week 50.
    • To date, 3 lab-confirmed influenza deaths have been reported for the 2024-2025 season.
    • To date, 14 influenza-like illness outbreaks in long term care facilities have been reported for the 2024-
    2025 season.
    • During week 50, 3 percent of visits among Influenza-like Illness Network (ILINet) participants were for
    influenza-like illness, which was above the baseline of 2.1 percent.

    • During week 50, 10.3 percent of specimens tested by WHO (World Health Organization) and NREVSS
    (National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System) collaborating laboratories in Washington
    were positive for influenza.
    • Influenza A and Influenza B were reported to the ILINet surveillance system during week 50.​

    Influenza Laboratory Surveillance Data
    Laboratory Data: World Health Organization (WHO) & National Respiratory and Enteric Virus
    Surveillance System (NREVSS) Data Reported to CDC
    Influenza testing data is received through the WHO & NREVSS laboratory networks. Public health and
    commercial laboratories voluntarily report influenza testing data to the CDC. The figures below display data
    reported to the CDC by public health laboratories (Figure 1) and commercial laboratories (Figure 2). Table 1
    combines the data from the public health and commercial laboratories.​​



    Click image for larger version

Name:	Screenshot 2024-12-28 at 10.35.19 AM.png
Views:	72
Size:	84.4 KB
ID:	1003460

    Continued: https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/fil...-FluUpdate.pdf

    Comment


    • #3
      Washington State Influenza Update
      Week 52: December 22 – December 28, 2024

      State Summary
      • Influenza-like illness activity was very high during week 52.
      • To date, 11 lab-confirmed influenza deaths have been reported for the 2024-2025 season.
      • To date, 32 influenza-like illness outbreaks in long term care facilities have been reported for the 2024-
      2025 season.
      • During week 52, 6.6 percent of visits among Influenza-like Illness Network (ILINet) participants were for
      influenza-like illness, which was above the baseline of 2.1 percent.

      • During week 52, 18.2 percent of specimens tested by WHO (World Health Organization) and NREVSS
      (National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System) collaborating laboratories in Washington
      were positive for influenza.
      • Influenza A and Influenza B were reported to the ILINet surveillance system during week 52.​

      continued. https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/fil...-FluUpdate.pdf

      Comment


      • #4

        Washington State Influenza Update
        Week 4: January 19 – January 25, 2025


        State Summary

        Influenza-like illness activity was very high during week 4.

        • To date, 83 lab-confirmed influenza deaths have been reported for the 2024-2025 season.

        • To date, 95 influenza-like illness outbreaks in long term care facilities have been reported for the 2024-

        2025 season.

        During week 4, 6 percent of visits among Influenza-like Illness Network (ILINet) participants were for influenza-like illness, which was above the baseline of 2.1 percent.

        During week 4, 20.4 percent of specimens tested by WHO (World Health Organization) and NREVSS

        (National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System) collaborating laboratories in Washington were positive for influenza.


        • Influenza A and Influenza B were reported to the ILINet surveillance system during week 4.

        Continued: https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/fil...-FluUpdate.pdf



        Comment

        Working...
        X