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Outbreak Outlook – Northeast – March 4
Norovirus activity flares
BY DR. CAITLIN RIVERS (REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION)
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Welcome to the Northeastern 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
Respiratory Diseases
ILI
Influenza-like illness activity continues trudging along across the Northeast. Last week, 4.4% of visits to the doctor were for fever and cough or sore throat, down slightly from 4.5% the week prior. We’re headed in the right direction, but this flu season is lingering too long for my taste.
Outpatient visits for ILI remained stable across the entire region and at or below the national baseline of 2.9% in Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Connecticut.
Maine and New Jersey both have relatively high outpatient ILI rates (3.5% and 5.7%), and had an increase in influenza-related ED visits (up to 2.6% and 3.0%, respectively). Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York reported no significant change in ED visits, with percentages ranging from 2.4% to 2.7%. New York City is still struggling with very high levels of activity, at 7%. Trends are improving there, but slowly
New hospital admissions for influenza remained stable or decreased across most of the region. However, Connecticut’s hospitalization rates increased by 1.5 points to 4.8 per 100,000, the second highest it has been so far this flu season, and Rhode Island and Vermont also logged slight increases.
COVID-19
In better news, Covid-19 continues to recede across the Northeast. Wastewater concentrations continue to decline from their peak at the end of the year – they haven’t been this low since the beginning of November. Emergency department visits declined across the region, and hospitalizations also declined across most of the region.
Most of the Northeast saw moderate declines in new hospitalizations this past week. New Hampshire wins the prize for ‘most improved’ – with a decline of 19% to 4.1 new admissions per 100,000. Other states seeing decreases in new hospitalizations this week include New York (-16.4% to 5.7), New Jersey (-16.3% to 6.1), Connecticut (-13.3% to 5.7), and Pennsylvania (-12.2% to 5.3). Rhode Island (4.0 new admissions per 100,000 population), Massachusetts (5.3) and Vermont (4.2) held roughly steady.
Maine experienced a substantial increase of 25.5% to 4.8 new admissions per 100,000, but because of the state’s small population this should be taken with a grain of salt.
Stomach Bugs
PCR test positivity for norovirus increased a whole point to 16.2%. It’s definitely going around, in the Northeast region in particular, so be cautious out there! I put extra tips for preventing and treating norovirus in the National edition, so take a look if that sounds helpful.
Food recalls
The following foods are being recalled because they are contaminated. Please check your cupboards and throw out any of these items:
New
Previously reported:
- A big recall of Queso Fresco and Cotija Cheese is affecting numerous consumer products: (more info)
- Trader Joe’s Chicken Enchiladas Verde, Cilantro Salad Dressing, Elote Chopped Salad Kit, Trader Joe’s Southwest Salad (more info)
- Cilantro Lime Crema, Everything Sauce Fiesta, Cilantro Cotija dressing, Poblano Caesar dressing, Cilantro Dressing, Street Taco Express Meal Kit sold at Trader Joes, Don Pancho and HEB (more info)
- Rojo’s Black Bean 6 Layer Dip (more info)
- Cheese, Yogurt, Sour cream by Rizo Brothers California Creamery (more info)
- Robitussin Honey CF Max cough syrup products (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
- The measles outbreak in Philadelphia has ended. The cluster totaled 9 cases. Outbreaks are declared over when two maximum incubation periods have passed with no new cases, or 42 days in the case of measles.
- Colgate University (New York) is currently investigating over 60 cases of a gastrointestinal illness consistent with norovirus, a highly contagious virus causing vomiting and diarrhea. The Madison County Public Health Department has confirmed two cases of norovirus among 15 students showing symptoms, with an additional 54 suspected cases involving both students and Hamilton residents. The outbreak is linked to various social events, including a fundraiser at the Colgate Inn and student gatherings.
