Hospitals wrestling with worst flu season in years

By many measures, this year’s flu season is emerging as the worst in years.

Hospitals report packed emergency departments with patients with the flu, and federal data indicate the most severe flu season in 15 years.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention reported that 31% of flu tests were positive last week. Nearly 8% of patients visiting doctors offices and outpatient facilities were for respiratory illnesses, and flu-like symptoms, the highest level since 2009.

The CDC estimates that there have been at least 310,000 hospitalizations due to the flu, with 13,000 deaths. More than 48,000 Americans were admitted to hospitals over the past week. Emergency department visits for patients with influenza are “very high,” the CDC says.

At least 24 million Americans have become ill with the flu, the CDC reports. Nationwide, 43 states have “high” or “very high” levels of flu activity, according to the CDC.

Ericka Hayes, MD, senior medical director of infection prevention at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, says positive tests for the flu are the highest in the last 10 years of flu season. She says 57% of those tested last week were positive.

Some of those being admitted to the hospital include patients who were vaccinated.

“The influenza vaccine match was not the best,” Hayes tells Chief Healthcare Executive®. “I will also say the uptake of influenza vaccine in the first place this year was lower than in years past as well. So we are seeing patients who get sick enough to be hospitalized despite having an influenza vaccination, which is unusual.”

Still, Hayes says the vaccines offer some protection against developing more severe illness, and she says there’s value in getting vaccinated, even later in the flu season.

“I still think there is protection offered again, for having potentially less severe disease with vaccination. So I think that's important to remember,” Hayes says.

Ohio reported a 90% increase in flu cases over the last week, the Ohio Hospital Association reports.

Cincinnati Children’s says the number of positive flu cases more than doubled since last week, rising from 402 to 896. Doctors at Cincinnati Children’s warn of long waits in emergency departments for issues that aren’t life threatening, and are urging parents to take children to primary care doctors if their kids have the flu or flu-like symptoms.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles reported the positive rate for children tested for influenza is 17.5%, compared to 2.6% the same time last year.

Flu cases are also higher than usual at Seattle Children’s.

“Seattle Children’s is currently seeing high levels of influenza and levels are higher than that seen last year,” a spokesperson for the pediatric system said in an email.

Also in Washington state, MultiCare’s hospitals in the Puget Sound are at or over capacity, KIRO-TV reports.

In Michigan, Corewell Health is seeing high volume due to patients with the flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the Detroit Free Press reports. "That's wreaking a lot of havoc," Dr. Charles Gibson, chief medical officer of Corewell Health West, told the Free Press.

The flu season is peaking later than usual, but Hayes says it may be some time before there’s a drop in numbers.

“There are some years where the flu is really tapering down by February,” she says. “I've got to say, this year, we're not, we're not coming down. I can't say that we're headed downward yet. And again, I suspect, given how robustly it's come up, it's not like it's going to drop quickly. So I suspect we may still have, you know, several weeks of significant influenza activity.”

In addition to getting the vaccine for those who haven’t already, Hayes stresses the importance of thorough hand washing as a prevention step. She also suggests considering masks when in closed quarters, including public transportation, as another step.

Some areas are also seeing an uptick in patients with norovirus, which is highly contagious. Hayes issued a warning for those with norovirus to stay home, given how easily it spreads.

She also issued a special warning for healthcare workers who may have norovirus to be especially mindful to stay home and not bring it into their facilities.

“Healthcare workers with GI symptoms, it's absolutely critical that they stay home, because it can rip through units so quickly, affecting both staff and patients,” Hayes says.