In several weekly updates published today, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said seasonal influenza and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) activity are low nationally, and COVID-19 activity is elevated but declining.
The test-positivity percentage for COVID-19 dropped to 11.6% last week from 13.4 % the prior week, according to the weekly update for the week ending on September 21.
Other COVID indicators declined as well, but only slightly. Emergency department visits dropped from 1.7% to 1.4%, and hospitalizations per 100,000 population dropped to 4.0, down from the prior week’s 4.1. In its biweekly variant update, the CDC noted that the KP.3.1.1 Omicron subvariant accounts for 52.7% of infections, the same as 2 weeks ago.
Wastewater levels for COVID-19 remain high but low for RSV and influenza. Of flu cases identified through specimens testing, the H1N1 strain accounts for 53.5% of cases, H3N2 for 46.5%, and influenza B for 1.2%. Influenza test positivity for the week ending on September 21 was 0.6%.
Outpatient respiratory illness visits also remained steady, at 1.9%.
Of note, the CDC recorded no new human infections with novel influenza A viruses, with the season’s total remaining at 23.Â
Very low vaccine uptake
According to the CDC, the early weeks of flu vaccine availability have resulted in 9.6% adults reporting receipt of a flu vaccine and 4.5% of adults reporting receipt of the updated 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine
Among adults 75 years and older, 34.0% reported ever receiving an RSV vaccine.
