Illinois well being officers issued a “well being alert” Thursday for hospitals, long-term care facilities and different well being care services, recommending elevated “mitigation efforts” as respiratory viruses improve within the state.
Suggestions embody issues like elevated masking and screening, particularly in areas the place higher-risk sufferers are being handled.
The up to date alert comes because the variety of counties included within the “excessive” COVID hospitalization stage doubled from 5 to 10 up to now week, with 41 extra counties at a reasonable stage, in accordance with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s nationwide COVID information tracker.
The state noticed hospitalizations as a consequence of coronavirus alone rise 22% in comparison with the earlier week, with 1,225 new hospitalizations reported.
On high of the coronavirus, well being officers famous that “respiratory syncytial virus is inflicting a heavy burden of pediatric hospitalizations and the proportion of optimistic laboratory exams for RSV has been rising for 10 consecutive weeks.”
Whereas Covid is behind the most important variety of hospitalizations in the case of respiratory viruses, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus additionally play a job, the division stated.
“With the alarming rise in respiratory viruses we’re seeing throughout the state and nation, IDPH recommends that healthcare services take precautions to restrict the unfold of those viruses and defend their sufferers, employees and guests,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra stated in a press release. “We’re most involved with well being care services in counties with excessive ranges of respiratory virus transmission and hospitalization ranges, and advocate sporting masks in affected person care areas, particularly in emergency departments and areas caring for immunocompromised sufferers.”
In keeping with IDPH, hospitals and well being care services are required to observe CDC tips and implement “facility-wide masking in counties with excessive ranges of coronavirus hospitalizations.”
“As well as, in counties with excessive incidence of respiratory sickness locally, hospitals are suggested to display screen employees and guests for signs of respiratory viruses; remind guests getting into affected person rooms of hand hygiene and cough etiquette; and encourage individuals with respiratory signs to : “(resembling fever, cough, or sore throat) to postpone non-urgent hospital visits, get examined for respiratory viruses earlier than in-person visits, or use telehealth companies if potential.”
Final week, Illinois launched a brand new dashboard that permits individuals to trace weekly updates on hospital visits, seasonal traits and lab take a look at positivity.