01/13/2025
Respiratory viruses are not clinically treated effectively with western medicine. Our physicians at Primary Care Holistic  Center prepare custom herbal formulas to get at the root of these viruses. Stay hydrated, wash your hands, thoroughly and scrub under your nails, and try not to touch your face and nose this season.
BY MIKE STOBBE / APJANUARY 6, 2025 11:54 AM EST
Info CDC
The holidays came with a side of flu for many Americans, with 40 states reporting high or very high levels of illness last week, according to the latest government health data.
“A lot of flu out there,” said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Carrie Reed.
Of course, there are a number of bugs that cause fever, cough, sore throat, and other flu-like symptoms. One is COVID-19. Another is RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, which is a common cause of cold-like symptoms but can be dangerous for infants and the elderly.
The most recent CDC hospitalization data and other indicators show that the flu virus is trending higher than the other germs, Reed said. Several seasonal flu strains are driving cases, with no dominant one, she added.
Pediatric hospitals have been busy since November with RSV, but “influenza has now joined the party,” said Dr. Jason Newland, an infectious diseases specialist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
“Now we’re really starting to roll,” he added. ”Our hospitals are busy.”
The CDC also has been keeping its eye on a rise of illnesses from norovirus, a nasty stomach bug, with 91 outbreaks reported early in December.
Investigators also have been closely watching another kind of influenza virus, the Type A H5N1 version of bird flu. The CDC says 66 human U.S. cases of that were reported last year, but none of them in the last week.
The cases are “fairly sporadic” and the overall risk to the public remains low, Reed said. Almost all have been traced to direct contact with infected animals, with no proof of spread between people.