CDC monitoring respiratory infections ahead of winter

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, trends are showing that cases of respiratory illnesses such as RSV and the flu are rising across the country.

CDC Chief Medical Officer DR. Deb Houry said that illnesses like RSV begin in southern states due to temperature changes and then head north.

Doctors are also stressing the importance of prevention before cases rise, including handwashing, taking medicines, staying home if sick, and staying up to date on vaccines.

Houry said that the CDC is monitoring respiratory infections in multiple ways.

“This includes looking at emergency department visits, hospitalizations, fatalities, and even new things like waste water to look at things ahead of time,” she said. “We put this together to get a nice picture of what the trends are doing both nationally and in local communities.”

Houry added that with the holidays approaching, she recommends getting vaccinated beforehand and monitoring for signs of illness.