Seasonal Respiratory Illnesses Surge In North Carolina

"While fewer flu-related deaths have been reported so far this season compared to last season, we are at the height of seasonal respiratory illnesses and this is a reminder that influenza can be very serious," said State Epidemiologist Zack Moore, MD, MPH. "Taking preventative measures against flu and other respiratory illnesses like getting vaccinated, regularly washing hands, covering your cough and staying home when sick are important to help protect you and your family."

Influenza is spreading widely throughout the state and is likely to peak in the coming weeks. Fifty-one new flu deaths were added to the statewide dashboard on Wednesday, but the newly added deaths occurred over the last few weeks as there are often delays in reporting. COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are also continuing to spread, although RSV levels have been decreasing in recent weeks.

Early testing and treatment with an antiviral drug can help prevent respiratory infections from becoming more serious. Treatments work best if started soon after symptoms begin. If you begin to feel sick, contact your doctor right away to see if you need treatment with a prescription antiviral drug. Treatment for flu and COVID-19 is especially important for people with severe illness and those who are at high risk of serious complications based on their age or medical conditions.

It is not too late to get your flu and COVID-19 vaccinations as vaccinations are the best way to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death from these infections. Vaccinations are especially important for those at higher risk of severe viral respiratory disease, including people 65 years and older, children younger than 5, pregnant women, those with a weakened immune system and those with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Vaccines and treatments to protect against RSV are also available for older adults, pregnant women, and infants.

In addition to vaccination, the following precautions should be taken to protect against the spread of respiratory viruses:

Regularly wash your hands with soap and water. Alcohol-based cleaner or sanitizer can help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses to others but does not work for some other common viruses like norovirus.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects that may be contaminated
Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and then discard the tissue promptly
Stay home when sick, except to seek medical care or testing, and take steps to avoid spreading infection to others in your home, including:Staying in a separate room from other household members, if possible
Using a separate bathroom, if possible
Avoiding contact with other members of the household and pets
Not sharing personal household items, like cups, towels and utensils
Wearing a mask when around other people
For more information on respiratory viruses, including how to access vaccines, testing and treatment in your community, visit www.vaccines.gov/en , flu.ncdhhs.gov or covid19.ncdhhs.gov .

A respiratory virus surveillance summary that includes information on flu, COVID-19 and RSV-related activity across North Carolina is updated weekly at covid19.ncdhhs.gov/dashboard .

 

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today updated its  weekly respiratory virus summary dashboard , showing an increase in influenza (flu) activity and related deaths, bringing the total number of deaths this season to 117.

"While there have been fewer influenza-related deaths reported so far this season compared to last season, we are at the height of seasonal respiratory illness and this is a reminder that the flu can be very serious," said State Epidemiologist Zack Moore, MD, MPH. "Taking preventative measures against the flu and other respiratory illnesses, such as getting vaccinated, washing your hands regularly, covering your cough and staying home when you are sick, is important to help protect you and your family."

Influenza is spreading across the state and is likely to peak in the coming weeks. Fifty-one new deaths due to influenza were added to the statewide dashboard on Wednesday, but the newly added deaths occurred in recent weeks as there are often delays in reporting. COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) also continue to spread, although RSV levels have been declining in recent weeks.

Early testing and treatment with an antiviral medication can help prevent respiratory infections from becoming more severe. Treatments work best if started soon after symptoms begin. If you start to feel sick, contact your doctor right away to see if you need treatment with a prescription antiviral medication. Treatment for influenza and COVID-19 is especially important for people with severe illness and those who are at high risk for serious complications based on their age or medical conditions.

It's not too late to get vaccinated against influenza and COVID-19, as vaccines are the best way to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death from these infections. Vaccines are especially important for people at higher risk for severe viral respiratory illness, including people 65 years of age or older, children younger than 5 years of age, pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, and people with certain medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Vaccines and treatments to protect against RSV are also available for older adults, pregnant women, and infants.

In addition to vaccination, the following precautions should be taken to protect against the spread of respiratory viruses:

Wash your hands with soap and water; alcohol-based hand sanitizer or cleaner can help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses to others, but it doesn't work for some other common viruses like norovirus.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that could be contaminated
Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue and then throw the tissue away promptly.
Stay home when you are sick, except to seek medical care or testing, and take steps to avoid spreading the infection to others in your home, such as:Stay in a separate room from other household members, if possible
Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
Avoid contact with other household members and pets
Do not share personal household items such as cups, towels and utensils.
Wear a mask when around other people
For more information about respiratory viruses, including how to access vaccines, testing, and treatment in your community, visit  www.vaccines.gov/en , flu.ncdhhs.gov , or covid19.ncdhhs.gov .

 

A respiratory virus surveillance summary that includes information on influenza, COVID-19, and RSV-related activity in North Carolina is updated weekly at  covid19.ncdhhs.gov/dashboard .

 

Press Release Date Feb 5, 2025