Coconino County reported an increase in flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases this week. The COVID-19 index has declined and overall levels remain moderate.
As of the week ending Nov. 26, the county has one low-level indicator (6.3 per 100,000 rate from 12.6 in the week ending Nov. 19). The 11% proportion of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID patients remains at a moderate level, although lower than the previous 11.7%.
After rising to 346 (242.5 per 100,000) in the week ending 19 November, the number of new COVID cases reported this week dropped to 200, or 140.2. The positive COVID test rate also followed a similar pattern, dropping from 18.1% (out of 1,904 total tests) last week to 16.1% (out of 1,359 total tests).
Residents aged 65 and over had the highest weekly infection rate (283 per 100,000) and positivity rate (23.5%), followed by those aged 45 to 64 (21.1% positivity).
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COVID-related hospitalizations continued their downward trend from 20 to 14 in the week ending 19 November, as did the rate of hospital visits for COVID-like illness (13.3% to 12.4%). This week, he had 1 death from his COVID reported in the county, while he had 0 recorded the week before.
According to a Nov. 29 blog from the Arizona Department of Health (ADHS), eight Arizona counties had high community levels of COVID, while seven others, including Coconino County, had moderate levels.
“Whatever the community level in your area, assess the risks to you and those around you when deciding on masks and other measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases. We recommend that you do so,” writes ADHS Director Don Herrington.
Herrington adds: “In recent weeks he has seen a rise in COVID-19 cases nationwide, making it more important than ever to get an Omicron booster and stay up to date with vaccine protection.”
Anyone 5 years of age or older is eligible for this booster if it has been at least 2 months since their last vaccination. All eligible individuals are encouraged to take increased protection against the Omicron variant that accounts for nearly all of her COVID genomes sequenced in Arizona.
According to TGen’s Arizona COVID-19 Sequencing Dashboard, 100% of genomes sequenced in Arizona in the week ending November 26 were of Omicron subvariant BA.2.
Influenza/RSV
The CCHHS influenza and RSV update for the week ending 26 November added an additional 254 cases to the season total, 81 more than the previous week.
The county has confirmed a total of 667 flu cases since the 2022-23 season began on October 2.
According to the update, the number of cases reported this week is 1,965% higher than in a typical flu season (based on averages over the past five seasons starting in 2017-18), bringing the total number of cases so far above normal. 1,779% increase from the previous flu season (the 5-season average at this point in the flu season is 35.5 cases).
So far, the majority of cases this season have been reported in residents aged 5-17 years (39%) and 18-24 years (23%). This was followed by those aged 25-44 (15%) and those aged 0-4 (11%), followed by those aged 45-64 and those aged 65 and over, accounting for 7% and 5%, respectively. Respectively.
Flagstaff (41%) has reported the most cases in the county so far, followed by Page (26%). All other Coconino County cities and towns have 33% of total flu cases to date.
In Arizona, Pinal County recorded its first childhood flu death of the season last Wednesday. A total of three children died from the flu in Arizona last season.
“Unfortunately, this dire situation is a reminder that influenza can cause serious illness and death,” said Pinal County Public Health Service District Health Director in a Nov. 23 announcement. “My heart goes out to the family of this child,” said Tascha Spears, Ph.D.
The release also noted that the current flu season is starting earlier than usual, with a “significant” impact on hospital emergency departments.
Coconino County reported 111 more RSV cases this week, bringing the season total to 285. A total of 77 new cases were reported in the previous week.
County residents aged 0 to 4 had the majority (61%) of reported RSV cases, followed by those aged 5 to 17 (24%). The 18-64 and 65+ age groups reported 4% and 5% of all RSV cases, respectively.
Flagstaff also reported the majority of RSV cases in the county (72%), followed by other cities and towns (22%) and Page (6%).
mpox
On Monday, the World Health Organization recommended a new preferred term, “mpox,” as monkeypox will phase out its current name over the next year.
“During the escalation of the monkeypox outbreak earlier this year, racist and stigmatizing language was observed online, in other settings, and in some communities and reported to WHO,” the new name said. “At several public and private meetings, many individuals and countries have expressed their concerns and asked WHO to suggest ways to change the name.”
The disease was originally named in 1970, but WHO best practices for disease naming were published in 2015.
“The name of a new disease should minimize the unnecessary negative impact of the name on trade, travel, tourism, or animal welfare, and offend any cultural, social, national, regional, professional or ethnic group. It should be attached for the purpose of not giving
Items listed for consideration during the accelerated update process included scientific validity, scope of current use, pronounceability, and use in other languages.
ADHS’s mpox dashboard on Friday reported a total of 575 cases in the state, with 36 hospitalizations and no deaths. sum is the same. Coconino County continues to account for his 1.2% of his mpox cases in the state. That total is still 7.
More information about public health in Coconino County, including flu, COVID, and mpox, can be found at: coconino.az.gov/2124/Health-and-Human-Services.
