Flu and RSV on the decline in Washington state, Covid trajectory unclear
The number of flu infections in Washington state in the week leading up to Christmas appeared to be declining, according to recent numbers. Still, the virus continues to claim lives.
Confirmed flu cases and hospital visits prompted by flu-like illnesses fell for a third week, according to the Washington Department of Health.
The latest summary, which covers the week ending Christmas Eve, showed fewer lab-confirmed cases and the percentage of hospital visits shrinking. That drop-off comes as little surprise to Dr. Scott Lindquist, Washington’s state epidemiologist for communicable diseases.
“So this happens every single year," Lindquist said. "No one really understands it. We get this cyclical nature of all our respiratory viruses, with a sharp rise — usually later in the season — and then a sharp drop after that.”
Lindquist says historical trends tell us a second peak is likely as the winter goes on.
Meanwhile, influenza continues to exact a fatal toll. A total of 27 Washingtonians died from the flu the week ending Dec. 24, bringing the total to 93 for the season. For comparison, in the 2019-20 flu period, 114 people died in the whole season.
RSV and Covid cases in Washington state
After a scary surge in mid to late 2022, RSV appears to be in an ebb phase, according to the Washington Department of Health.
While a feared coronavirus wave hasn't yet materialized, the state isn't in the clear. Dr. Lindquist noted that RSV has a much more predictable nature than the coronavirus. It’s unclear what trajectory Covid will take from here.
“RSV, we have years and years of experience," Lindquist said. "What we don’t have is a lot of experience with SARS-CoV-2. So we are still learning lessons about how persistent this virus will be. What looks like a mild increase in the current strain could very easily become a new variant and have another peak.”
The latest state-level data, for the week ending Dec. 24, show Covid cases at a far lower rate than those seen in the delta and omicron waves. Hospitalizations are modest. Death rates began ticking up in November, but are still low compared to previous waves.
As the flu season arrived earlier this year, Covid continued to spread and RSV cases also surged. This led health officials to worry about a "tripledemic" striking the population, with multiple illnesses circulating and flooding hospitals with cases.
