PHOENIX — Valley health experts warn of a potential triple outbreak in the coming months.
Local hospitals may be treating patients infected with COVID-19, influenza or the RSV respiratory virus, they said.
“RSV season typically starts in October and November,” said Dr. Arun Lakshmipathy, chief medical officer at Sun Health Senior Living.
Lakshmipathy said they have seen cases of RSV and influenza.
“We’re seeing more of this in older adults,” she shared.
The RSV respiratory virus usually affects young children when temperatures start to drop, but more recently it has also started affecting older adults, Lakshmipathy said.
“These diseases are definitely on the rise,” Lakshmipathi said.
Most of the cases requiring hospitalization occurred at the beginning of the year.
“In summer, it’s very rare,” Lakshmipathi said.
“But now we’re seeing summer growth as well.”
RSV can be a greater challenge in infants and people over 65, especially those with drug-related illnesses.
What are we doing in the face of a possible triple outbreak of COVID-19, influenza and RSV? Large drugstore chains have already started scheduling flu shot appointments.
In June, the FDA approved an RSV vaccine for older adults, and an updated booster vaccine for COVID-19 could be ready by the end of next month.
Diagnosing symptoms can be challenging because all three include fever, cough, headache and sore throat, but there are steps you can take now to protect yourself, doctors say.
“Healthy eating and exercise are important,” says Lakshmi Patti.
Frequent hand washing is also a must.
“So we don’t go into crisis mode,” suggested Lakshmipathi.
In general, stay healthy from the start to avoid getting sick. If you do become ill, a healthy lifestyle will help you avoid complications and recover faster.
Follow us on our Facebook page 12 News in Spanish
visit our section 12 News in Spanish on youtube
Download the 12 News KPNX app to receive notifications in Spanish:
iPhone: http://12ne.ws/iphone
Android: http://12ne.ws/android