The CDC reports the number of Americans suffering from respiratory illness is high or very high in two-thirds of the United States. The spike in cases follows annual trends.
Doctors typically see an increase in patients with the common cold, influenza (flu), COVID-19, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV) after the holidays, because of all the travel and in-person gatherings in close quarters. The high levels of these illnesses will likely continue for weeks.
“It’s probably going to get worse before it gets better,” Virginia Patient First Family and Geriatric Medicine Specialist Dr. Donald Curtis told CBN News.
The best way to determine which infection a patient has is through testing, because symptoms often overlap. They include sore throat, cough, fever, and body aches. Severe symptoms include difficulty breathing and chest pain.
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“We think influenza has a more sudden onset after you contract the virus, within usually one to four or five days,” said Dr. Curtis. “COVID-19 symptoms may start between two and 14 days after you contract the virus.”
Doctors can prescribe oral medications to treat some viruses. However, it’s important to take
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