As the holiday season gets into full swing, health experts say the yuletide cheer might be soured by the spike in respiratory viruses, including the flu and RSV.
Children's Wisconsin expects to publish updated numbers later Tuesday, but right now, hospitals across our area say they are bracing for a busy week after Thanksgiving.
Wisconsin health leaders say flu cases doubled week to week leading up to last Thursday, with new data showing the state went from a flu positivity of 7 percent to more than 14 percent.
Nationwide, many consider this to be the worst flu season in more than a decade. Milwaukee County Chief Health Policy Advisor Dr. Ben Weston says he doesn't expect this surge in RSV and flu cases to go down anytime soon, and with holiday gatherings and even colder weather on the way, he thinks the numbers might only keep climbing.
"I wish I could look into a crystal ball, but certainly looking at past years, which is one thing we can do with flu. What's different this year is how early it's rising, and the steepness with which it's rising is pretty fast," explained Dr. Weston.
Dr. Weston says if you haven't already, get your flu and COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible, stay home if you're sick, and keep practicing good hygiene by washing your hands.
