Early Flu Surge Hits San Diego County; New Tool Forecasts What’s Next

SAN DIEGO, CA — Public Health Services has revised its Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report to show current illness trends and to forecast whether respiratory illnesses and hospitalizations may rise or fall, officials said.

The report tracks test positivity and emergency department visits for COVID-19, influenza and RSV. Weekly reporting resumes with the start of flu season. Current county data show an early rise in flu activity, with test positivity at 8% and 58 hospitalizations and eight deaths reported, according to the Communications Office.

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"The new forecasting feature represents another advance for public health and reflects the strength of this collaboration," Seema Shah, MD, MPH, Medical Director of County Epidemiology and Immunization Services, told the Communications Office.

The report now includes two-week projections to help hospitals prepare for potential surges.