It sure seems like there’s always something to catch these days.
From respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to influenza to COVID-19 to pneumonia, there are indications several respiratory illnesses are circulating and prevalent in Simcoe County through the final stretch of the holiday season.
Linda Yang, a pharmacist at Rexall in Stroud, notes the percent positivity of flu tests, in particular, has doubled across Canada in recent weeks. RSV is also climbing, while COVID-19 circulation remains elevated but stable.
And based on prescriptions being handed out by the pharmacy, it’s clear pneumonia cases are on the rise in the community.
“It is trending higher,” she said. “When you get any type of respiratory virus, you’re at higher risk of getting other respiratory viruses.”
She recommends the steadfast virus prevention measures of frequently washing hands, staying home when ill, and immunization.
“It’s best to get vaccinated,” she said. “It’s much safer to get the vaccine than the flu. Get whatever’s available. It’s better than not having anything at all for the season. It’s free of charge. It’s really easy. It takes less than a second and is better than being sick throughout the whole holiday season. Be healthy with your family — you don’t want to give them anything.”
Rexall, she notes, does walk-in shots for the flu and COVID-19.
According to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit’s Respiratory Virus Surveillance page, COVID-19 activity was considered moderate and stable across the Simcoe-Muskoka region during the most recent week of Dec. 22 to 28, when compared to the previous seven days. During that same time, the number of flu cases was deemed low but increasing (with influenza A considered the main strain in circulation), while RSV activity was considered moderate but stable.
There are active respiratory outbreaks in 19 of 88 long-term-care, retirement and acute-care facilities throughout the region, the health unit says.
Also of note is an increase in emergency department (ED) visits for respiratory illness between Dec. 22 and 28, compared to the previous week. Of the 6,000 ED visits in Simcoe-Muskoka, 16.8 per cent were for respiratory illness — the most inpatients in a single day was 12 for COVID-19 and four for the flu.
However, the health unit notes the numbers are similar to the same week during the 2023-24 respiratory season.
The health unit also says there were 18 and 20 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and the flu, respectively, throughout Simcoe-Muskoka from Dec. 22 to 28.
Across Ontario, COVID-19 (13 per cent) and RSV (10.1 per cent) are circulating with a test positivity rate of more than 10 per cent.
Dr. Andrew Lam, public health resident physician for the health unit, echoed many of Yang’s sentiments.
“We are seeing the challenges of these three viruses circulating,” he said of COVID-19, the flu and RSV. “This poses a risk of severe infection to everyone, young and old. Really, now is the time to protect ourselves by getting vaccinated.”
Residents should also disinfect high-touch surfaces frequently, and wear a mask in indoor settings while recovering from illness, to prevent the spread of viruses.
For residents who are either 65 or older or have high-risk medical conditions, there are anti-viral medications to help reduce complications, and they should talk with their primary care team about the best options for getting tested once symptoms set in.
“It is certainly possible for individuals to get sick with any one or more of these illnesses,” Lam said. “When that happens, it increases the risk of severe illness.”
Since Sept. 1, 67,344 Simcoe-Muskoka residents — about 10.6 per cent of the population — have received a Health Canada-approved COVID-19 vaccine.
Part of the issue this year, too, appears to be an increase in lower respiratory tract infections like pneumonia. Many viruses, including the aforementioned ones as well as rhinovirus and parvovirus, can cause infection — though walking pneumonia, which tends to arrive in three- to seven-year cycles, is also on the uptick, Lam said.
“We can see that coming from many types of infections,” he said.
You can view the health unit’s weekly respiratory virus tracker at simcoemuskokahealth.org.
