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17 Dec, 5 tweets, 3 min read
1. The latest FluView is out from @CDCgov. A 🧵
So our holiday from influenza does seem to be ending. Flu activity isn't spiking, but it is increasing. Hospitalizations for flu are on the rise — which is EXACTLY what Covid-stretched hospitals don't need right now. Image
2. In the week ending Dec. 11, 2.7% of health care visits were for influenza-like illnesses (non-Covid). That's above the national baseline level of 2.5% (red arrow). It is the first time since Nov 2019 (green arrow) the percentage of visits for ILIs has been above the baseline. Image
3. In other parts of the world a lot of the flu being seen is #influenza B. But here so far it has been overwhelmingly the influenza A virus H3N2. H3 viruses are typically very hard on the elderly — same demographic Covid has been ravaging. Image
4. It's important to note that some of the ILI activity is #flu, but not all of it is flu. New Mexico has been lit up for the past few weeks; until recently that was because of RSV, not flu. Flu activity is starting to pick up in NM, its health dept says. nmhealth.org/news/awareness… Image
5. It is not too late to get a #flu shot. There's lots of flu vaccine in pharmacies and doctors offices. This will be a very good winter to try not to get sick.
If you want to check out FluView, the latest issue is here. cdc.gov/flu/weekly/ind…

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More from @HelenBranswell

Helen Branswell Profile picture
16 Dec
1. Today's special #ACIP meeting, to deal with safety concerns related to the J&J #Covid vaccine, is beginning now. There will also be an update on the rollout of vaccines in 5-11 year olds.
I will try to live tweet.
2. New chair Grace Lee calls roll call and vote calls in a random order that changes each time she does it. It's confusing and makes it really hard to keep tabs of who is there, who voted. Just saying.
3. Doran Fink from @US_FDA says FDA updated its guidance on use of the J&J vaccine to reflect better understanding of the risk associated the J&J or any other adenovirus vectored vaccines (ie AstraZeneca). The risk relates to a serious clotting event TTS.
Read 42 tweets
Helen Branswell Profile picture
8 Dec
1. New global #flu data from @WHO. A short 🧵
Topline: Flu activity remains well below what was seen in pre-Covid times. Interestingly, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) continues its rebound. Lots of it in lots of places.
2. @WHO reports that 1.1% of the more than 335,000 respiratory samples tested for flu in 102 countries from Nov. 8-21 were postive for #flu. Just a little over half of those were #influenza B infections.
3. This marks the first time since early April 2020 when the global #flu positivity rate was 1% or higher. As you can see from this chart (mine), flu activity fell off a cliff in March 2020 as the #Covid pandemic took hold around the world.
Read 4 tweets
Helen Branswell Profile picture
4 Dec
1. Short #flu thread.
@CDCgov's FluView came out today; data for the week ending Nov 27.
US Flu activity is ticking up. It's still not near most non-pandemic years, but flu is returning. 1.5% of clinical flu tests were positive, compared to .02% in 2020.
cdc.gov/flu/weekly/ind…
2. The data behind this chart give you a sense of the steady rise in flu positivity. In a pre-Covid year, you might expect to see a positivity rate of 4%, 8% or higher at this time of the #flu season, depending on whether the season was getting off to an early start or not.
3. So looking at the influenza-like illness curves, you can see that ILI rates (they include illnesses that are not #influenza) appear to be approaching the point where they cross the threshold into ILI season. But how much of that is flu?
Read 5 tweets
Helen Branswell Profile picture
3 Dec
1. @GuHaogao & colleagues report on an apparent case of #Omicron transmission in a Hong Kong quarantine hotel. Traveler from South Africa tests positive 2 days after arrival; traveler from Canada who is located directly across the hall tests positive 4 days later.
2. Canadian traveler was 7 days into quarantine when he tested positive. Viral sequences were compared; almost identical.
Both travelers were twice vaxed with Pfizer in the spring.
Surveillance footage showed neither left their room, only opening doors for food, testing.
3. "Airborne transmission across the corridor is the most probable mode of transmission," the University of Hong Kong researchers (including @bencowling88) report in @CDC_EIDjournal. wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/28…
Read 4 tweets
Helen Branswell Profile picture
24 Nov
1. Short flu 🧵.
Global flu surveillance data for Oct 25 to Nov 7 was issued today by @WHO. It shows a small uptick of flu activity globally, with 100 national labs reporting 3130 cases among +400K tests. Internationally influenza B viruses (B/Victoria) predominate.
2. That number of positive #flu tests is a positivity rate of 0.78%, which is still well below what we'd expect to see at this time of the year, when flu transmission in the Northern Hemisphere normally builds. This graph (mine) compares positivity rates in autumn 2019 & 2021.
3. #Flu isn't the only non-#Covid respiratory disease spreading. Some areas are seeing a lot of RSV activity & other influenza-like illnesses. The lowering of the guard on Covid precautions will allow these other viruses to resume transmission.
Gonna be an interesting winter.
Read 5 tweets
Helen Branswell Profile picture
24 Nov
1. "We must do better at sharing the fruits of science." @WHO Director @DrTedros at today's virtual press conference. It's important for all countries to have access to #Covid vaccines, but also rapid tests and therapies, Dr. Tedros said.
2. @DrTedros said no country or region is yet out of the woods when it comes to #Covid, pointing to the surge in cases in Europe where vaccination rates are reasonably high. He urged people to continue to take precautions against Covid, even if they are vaccinated.
3. @DrTedros points to next week's special session of the World Health Assembly — the WHO's governing body — to try to come up with a treaty or instrument designed to prevent or mitigate future pandemics. Tedros said he is heartened that there now appears to be a broad consensus.
Read 9 tweets

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