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Welcome to the Northeast edition of Outbreak Outlook! It is only available to paid subscribers. If you wish to become a paid subscriber and access region-specific information, please click the Subscribe now button below. Thanks for reading! -Caitlin (REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION) Respiratory DiseasesILIWe are getting closer and closer to the end of flu season, with influenza and influenza-like illness accounting for a smaller proportion of outpatient visits (down to 3.4%), emergency department visits, and hospitalizations in most of the Northeast. Northeast Region: ILI Activity
Percent of doctors visits for ILI symptoms
 The proportion of outpatient visits for ILI either remained stable or decreased slightly in every state in the Northeast this past week. Most states in the region – including Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont – now report quite low rates of outpatient visits for ILI (<2%). In contrast, rates are still relatively high in New Jersey, where 4.9% of all outpatients were for ILI. Northeast Region: Change in ILI Activity
Percent of doctors visits for ILI symptoms
 Emergency department visits for influenza decreased in all states in the region (except New Hampshire, which did not report data). In addition, hospitalization rates for influenza are low across the Northeast, and continued to decline moderately or substantially in every state in the region this past week. COVID-19Another week of good news on the Covid-19 front. Wastewater data have declined to levels we haven’t seen since last July, and appear to be leveling off somewhat in the Northeast. The rate of new weekly hospitalizations is also quite low, down to nearly 2 per 100,000. Northeast Region: New COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Average rate per 100,000 population
 Hospitalization rates for Covid-19 are low, with equal to or less than 3 new hospital admissions per 100,000 population in every state in the region. The rate is declining or stable across most of the Northeast. New hospital admissions for Covid-19 declined substantially (24-42%) in New Hampshire, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Rates remained stable in New York, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. Although hospitalization rates increased moderately in Maine (+17%) and substantially in Vermont (+22%), they remained under 3 new admissions per 100,000 population in both. Northeast Region: Change in New COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Weekly new hospitalizations per 100,000
 Similarly, no states reported increases, and most states reported moderate declines in the proportion of emergency department visits for Covid-19, including New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. More substantial declines were reported in Maine, New Hampshire, and New Jersey. (EDITOR’S NOTE: AT WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL,IN THE LAST 2 WEEKS MARCH 15 TO MARCH 26: WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL ADMITTED 63 PERSONS TO BEDS, AND 33 AFTER ADMISSION WERE FOUND TO HAVE COVID, (52%). WHITE PLAINS HOSPITAL ON MARCH 26 REPORTED OF A TOTAL OF 312 ACUTE CARE BEDS AND 271 OF THEM WERE OCCUPIED (86%). OF 20 I.C.U. UNITS,6 WERE EMPTY, 14 OCCUPIED. THE HOSPITAL IS VERY BUSY AND HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST 3 MONTHS. WITH COVID CASES IN ADMITTED PATIENTS RUNNING 50% OF PERSONS FOUND POSITIVE AFTER ADMISSION. (NY STATE DAILY HOSPITALIZATIONS TRACKER) Stomach BugsI was hopeful that norovirus activity had peaked in the Northeast, but that’s not the case. Test positivity was back up again this week, rising to 14.3%, up from 14.0% last week. I do expect the region will turn the corner in the weeks ahead, but unfortunately that hasn’t happened yet. Northeast Region: Norovirus Activity
Test Positivity, Percentage
 Food recallsThe following foods are being recalled because they are contaminated. Please check your cupboards and throw out any of these items: New
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