(Spirit Lake)– Public health officials say they’re starting to see an increase locally in three different respiratory viruses making the rounds. Katy Burke of Dickinson County Public Health says the flu, RSV and covid are all in the mix right now…
“RSV is way up. Certainly we hear about it more in the infant and young children population and seniors, but anyone can contract it and share it. And then flu is starting to pick up as well. Luckily of all the three, covid is down but we may not have the full picture there since there is quite a bit of home testing.”
Burke says it isn’t too late to take some preventive measures for at least two of the three ailments…
“With flu and covid we do have those vaccines still available so that is a great thing you can do to protect yourself and protect the people you care about that you’re around and RSV, unfortunately, there is not a vaccine at this time but they are researching that and hoping to see that in future respiratory flu seasons to have that support. But right now what you can do is that same common sense of washing those hands, cleaning high touch surfaces and staying home when you’re feeling sick. And if you do have those cold, flu-like symptoms, you know, we love to be around loved ones right now with the holidays but just avoiding those close contacts if you are feeling ill especially around some of those at risk people that you know.”
As of right now, Burke says hospitalization rates for the three viruses remain low…
“With covid we’re averaging in the last month around one or two people. It is lower, significantly lower than we’ve seen in the past but we’re still seeing those one or two, and no hospitalizations right now with flu and it’s going up and down with RSV but none at this time.”
While RSV has been around in the past, it hasn’t been to the extent of what it is now. Burke says they’re unsure as to why that’s the case.
