State health officials say flu and other respiratory illnesses are on the rise in New Hampshire, as cases spike across the region and the rest of the country.
Right now, cases of acute respiratory illness are concentrated in the most densely populated parts of the state. Rockingham County went from “moderate” to “high” activity over the past week. Belknap, Merrimack and Hillsborough counties remain in the “moderate” range, while the rest of the state is seeing “low” respiratory illness activity.
Elliot Hospital's Infection Prevention Officer, Stephanie Szopa, said the rise in respiratory illness — which can include coronaviruses, enterovirus, rhinovirus and influenza — are on trend with this time of year. Cold weather, loss of humidity in the air, and holiday travel can all contribute to the rise in cases, she said.
“This is when we're starting to see that transmission occur because our stores are so congested,” Szopa said. “We're having holiday parties with friends and family, and this is really where we're going to start to see the trend increase over time.”
Szopa said children and young adults are getting sick the most. WMUR reported that an elementary school in Fremont closed last week with roughly 100 kids calling out sick.
Elliot Hospital, she said, has been seeing an increase in people visiting the emergency room seeking admission or getting tested for illness lately.
“We have anywhere from 20 to 30 bed holes at a time,” she said.
Szopa said if people are able to call their primary care provider, that can help reduce the number of people visiting the emergency room.
“[It] can really not only save money but can help the hospitals in the long run,” she said.
Szopa said as people travel and head out for holiday gatherings, they should wash their hands, and if they think they have the flu or other illnesses, they should consider quarantining to help stop the spread.
She also said she recommends getting the flu vaccine.
