Cases of covid, flu and RSV are crashing, keeping children home from school, straining hospital systems and sparking concerns about a possible “tripledemic”.
Cases of respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, have increased, flu season has arrived early, and cases of covid-19 are starting to rise. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 5.5% of outpatient visits are now due to respiratory illnesses whose symptoms include fever plus cough or sore throat, well above the line of normal base of 2.5%.
Although most people recover from respiratory illnesses, some people, especially babies and older adults, can become very ill and need hospital care. How do you distinguish between different viruses and how do you know when to seek medical attention?
The Washington Post spoke with four infectious disease experts to answer some common questions about the respiratory disease outbreak, symptoms and treatments. This is what they said.