What You Need To Know
Below please find the Respiratory Illness Surveillance Report. This report summarizes surveillance information for COVID-19, influenza, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses.
Report Highlights:
- Emergency department visits and hospital admissions continue to decrease for influenza and remain stable for COVID-19 and RSV.
- Recent COVID-19 and influenza hospitalizations have mostly been reported in persons 65 years and older. The number of influenza-associated deaths remain elevated over the past month; with a total of four fatal pediatric cases reported this season.
- Test positivity for COVID-19 and influenza increased when compared to the previous week. Percent positivity for seasonal coronaviruses is high and there have been increases in test positivity for rhinovirus/enterovirus.
- Levels of COVID-19 in wastewater remain elevated. While elevated, COVID-19 levels remain lower than the summer 2024 peak. Levels for influenza type A are declining while B are increasing. RSV levels in wastewater continue to decline.
- The predominant COVID-19 variants are LP.8.1 and XEC, subvariants of Omicron covered by the 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine. The current predominant influenza virus is type B and is included in the 2024-25 influenza vaccine.
- Respiratory outbreaks reported by K-12 schools have been primarily due to influenza though influenza-associated absenteeism has decreased in recent weeks. Outbreaks reported in long-term care facilities continue to primarily be due to COVID-19 and influenza.
Please contact the Communicable Disease Service (CDS) at 609-826-5964 with questions. This report is posted at https://www.nj.gov/health/respiratory-viruses/data-and-reports/.
For additional information, visit the NJDOH CDS Respiratory Illness Dashboard and the NJDOH CDS Vaccination Coverage in NJ LTC Facilities Dashboard.