What You Need To Know
Please find this week’s Respiratory Illness Surveillance Report which summarizes surveillance information for COVID-19, influenza, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses.
Report highlights:
- Influenza activity continues to be elevated in NJ. However, the number of cases, emergency department visits, wastewater activity levels and test positivity reported last week are all lower than the previous week this season. Hospitalizations due to influenza have also decreased and continues to predominantly be among persons 65 years of age and older.
- Influenza A(H3N2) remains the predominant subtyped influenza virus so far this season, and has been associated with increased severity in past seasons. A majority of A(H3N2) viruses tested at CDC belong to an emerging subclade K, however the impact of this drift on the current season is unclear.
- The number of emergency department visits and hospitalizations due to RSV also slightly decreased this week, and continues to predominantly be among persons 50 years of age and older. Test positivity remains elevated this week, but is lower than this time last year.
- Emergency department visits and hospital admissions for COVID-19 have decreased since the previous week. Hospital admissions are lower than they were this time last year and continue to be predominantly in persons 65 years and older. The predominant variant continues to be Omicron XFG.
- Respiratory outbreaks reported in long-term care facilities over the last week were due to influenza, COVID-19 and RSV while those in schools continue to be predominantly due to influenza.
- Test positivity for seasonal coronaviruses has been elevated since the beginning of December. Rhinovirus and enterovirus test positivity, which peaked in September, continues to decline.
Please note that starting with this report we will include hospitalizations associated with COVID-19, Influenza and RSV diagnosis reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) by acute care facilities in NJ. Please contact the Communicable Disease Service at 609-826-5964 with any questions about the report.