Respiratory diseases

Influenza-like illness

No new data was released this week due to the Veteran’s Day holiday.

Covid-19

Covid-19 trends look pretty good in the Northeast. New Hampshire saw the only increase in hospitalization incidence in the Northeast, rising 0.4 admissions per 100,000 people over the past week. The rest of the region experienced declines or remained relatively flat. Wastewater concentration is also pretty flat.

Vermont posted the steepest drop at 1.8 fewer admissions per 100,000. New Jersey and New York also saw substantial decreases of 0.7 and 0.6 per 100,000, respectively. More moderate declines between 0.1-0.2 per 100,000 were seen in Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. Pennsylvania changed very little week-over-week.

One note of caution: I’m seeing some early indicators of increase in other areas of the country, so I am (tentatively) concerned that the Northeast may see the same in the weeks to come.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: COVID HOSPITALIZATIONS AT WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL: FROM NOVEMBER 1 THROUGH FRIDAY NOVEMBER 10, WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL ADMITTED 93 PERSONS TO BEDS AND OF THE 93,  46 (49%) WERE FOUND TO HAVE COVID AFTER ADMISSION. 

FROM NOVEMBER 5 THROUGH  THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9  396 PERSONS IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY,  79 A DAY, TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID. LAST WEEK FROM OCTOBER  29 TO NOV 4, 574 PERSONS TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID. IN THE 5 DAYS SUNDAY NOV 5 THROUGH THURSDAY NOV 9,  396,79 A DAY HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID.

FIGURES ON COVID CASES IN OCTOBER  THIS YEAR ARE HALF THE POSITIVE CASES OF COVID IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR. IF WESTCHESTER CONTAINS COVID AT THE RATE OF UNDER 1,000 IN NOVEMBER CASES IN DECEMBER COULD PROJECT TO LESS THAN HALF THE SPREAD OF LAST DECEMBER, UNDER 6,000.)

Northeast Region: New COVID-19 Hospitalizations

Rate per 100,000 population

RSV

RSV is making rapid gains across the Northeast. PCR test positivity is up to 8.4% in the region, up from 3.9% just two weeks ago.

Massachusetts (13% PCR test positivity) and Maine (~10% for the past two weeks) have the highest PCR test positivity in the region, increasing to 13% and 9.6%.

Pennsylvania, New York, New Hampshire, and Connecticut have all seen increases in the past two weeks from the 3-4% range to roughly 6.5%. New Jersey has increased from 2.2% two weeks ago to 4.9% test positivity.

Vermont still has relatively low RSV activity, with positivity below 1%. (There is insufficient data for Rhode Island.)

Northeast Region: RSV Activity

Test Positivity, Percentage

Other Respiratory + Stomach Bugs

• Seasonal coronavirus activity, while still low in the Northeast, is on an upward trajectory, in keeping with its typical seasonal increase.
• Parainfluenza activity also looks like it may be ticking up.
• Human metapneumovirus and adenovirus activity remains low.
• Norovirus (stomach bug) activity has been holding steady for the past several weeks at a low level in the Northeast.
  Northeast Region: Norovirus Activity

  Test Positivity, Percentage

  

Food recalls

The following foods are being recalled because they are contaminated. Please check your cupboards and throw out any of these items:

New this week:

• Tyson chicken nuggets (more info)
• Fresh cantaloupes sold under Malichita label (more info)
• Multiple brands of dog and cat food (more info) (Note: this poses a risk to pets and to the people that care for them, since Salmonella can be acquired via handling of the pet food and/or contact with infected animals.)

Previously reported:

• Multiple brands of eye drops, including some new brands added since last week (more info)
• Multiple brands of Apple Cinnamon Fruit Puree, including some new brands added since last week (more info)

If you have food allergies, you may wish to review these FDA safety alerts and USDA alerts for foods with undeclared allergens.

In Other News

• Cumberland County in Pennsylvania has reported an outbreak of pertussis (whooping cough) in a local high school. Ten students have tested positive for the bacterial infection. Pertussis can cause a severe, hacking cough and serious illness in all ages, with infants at particularly high risk. Vaccinations are available to help prevent infection; adults should receive a booster every 10 years.
• The New Jersey Department of Health announced last week that there had been an increase in Legionnaires’ Disease cases in Middlesex and Union Counties and they are investigating potential sources of infection. 41 cases have been reported, all with symptom onset between August 3 and October 23 of this year; this is well above the 12-16 cases typically reported between August and October. Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by an infection with Legionella bacteria – symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches, and headaches. Most healthy people exposed to the bacteria do not develop Legionnaires, but older adults, those with chronic lung conditions, or those who are immunocompromised are at increased risk of severe disease. The disease is not spread person-to-person. It is spread by breathing in small droplets of contaminated water; cooling tower systems are often to blame in outbreaks.