'Tri-demic' is hitting Whatcom hard. Here's what health officials urge you to do

Dec. 9—Cases of respiratory illnesses, which were already running high this fall, have spiked since Thanksgiving and are worrying doctors and public health officials across Washington state.

It's part of a "tri-demic" of COVID-19, influenza and RSV, a common upper-respiratory infection that is causing more serious illnesses among children than usual this season.

"There's no question that flu is hitting us hard," said Bev Mayhew, spokeswoman for St. Joseph hospital in Bellingham, where admissions are rising for respiratory ailments.

Cases of COVID, flu and respiratory syncytial virus or RSV are increasing so quickly that health officials fear hospitals could be overwhelmed with patients suffering from respiratory ailments.

"It's not a good time to be seriously ill right now, particularly if you are a child," said Marie Duckworth, spokeswoman for the Whatcom County Health Department, which joined health officials from a dozen Washington counties in issuing a joint statement Friday, Dec. 9.

"As health officers and health-care leaders working to improve the health of Washington residents, we recommend that everyone wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask when around others in indoor spaces to protect against both acquiring and spreading these infections to others," said the joint statement.

It was also signed by administrators of hospitals across the state and other top health officials.

A statewide mask mandate would have to come from Gov. Jay Inslee.

But health officials are imploring Whatcom County residents to wear a mask in crowded public places, and take other steps to limit the spread of respiratory illness.

That includes:

— Practicing good hand hygiene.

— Staying home if you're sick, and keeping sick kids home.

— Coughing into your elbow.

— Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and influenza.

— Wearing a mask in crowded indoor spaces.

— Using good ventilation or air filtration at home.

"If you haven't yet, go get your seasonal Influenza vaccine and your fall COVID-19 booster as soon as possible to prevent severe infection and hospitalization," said Dr. Amy Harley, the Whatcom County health officer.

"We expect these viruses to continue to be at high levels for months so it's not too late. It's OK to get both vaccines at once," Harley told The Bellingham Herald in an email.

Hospitalizations rising

More patients are being hospitalized, especially for influenza and COVID-19, Mayhew told The Herald.

A total of 27 people were hospitalized for influenza in the week after Thanksgiving, 43 last week and 27 so far this week, Mayhew said Thursday, Dec. 8.

St. Joe's had 13 patients with COVID-19 on Thanksgiving, and there were 25 on Thursday, according to hospital data.

The rise in hospitalization is made worse by continued staffing shortages and limited availability of some medications, particularly those for children, Harley said.

According to data from the Whatcom County Health Department, a total of 35 people were hospitalized in Whatcom County from Nov. 27-Dec. 3.

Fewer than five admissions were reported during that same week in each of the previous four cold and flu seasons, according to historical data.

Typically, hospital admissions spike in February or March, according to the report.

"Clinics and emergency departments are full and hospital beds are scarce statewide because of a surge in viral respiratory illnesses caused by RSV, Influenza and COVID-19 circulating simultaneously," Harley said.

"We're experiencing particularly early and high rates of RSV and Influenza infections and the number of people needing care for COVID-19 is increasing again. Patients of all ages are affected by these viral infections, but the sickest are young children and the elderly," she said.

In Whatcom County, the number of children who are ill enough to be hospitalized is many times higher than any point in the past five years, Harley told The Herald.

Infections are rising so quickly that the Whatcom County Health Department is posting its influenza reports every week instead of every other week.

This story was originally published December 9, 202211:26 AM.

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