UofL Health seeing increase in respiratory viruses, but no large spike

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- University of Louisville Health is seeing an increase in respiratory viruses in its hospital system.

Doctors said Thursday they've seen a rise in COVID and flu cases recently, but wouldn't categorize it as a large spike.

There also hasn't been a big jump in hospitalizations either, and fewer people are severely ill, which doctors attribute to more people being vaccinated.

For the very first time, vaccines are now available for COVID, the flu and RSV.

RSV, however, has been sweeping across the community. Norton Children's Hospital said Thursday it's seen a record number of children test positive for the respiratory virus in the last week.

The hospital added extra units to help care for more sick kids. Doctors said they started to see cases tick up in late August and early September, but they didn't see a big spike until November.

About 1,600 RSV cases have been diagnosed in children across the Norton Healthcare system this month. Twenty-eight children are being treated in the hospital, the majority of them are under a year old. Eight children are in the Intensive Care Unit.

The hospital opened an extra in-patient unit about a month ago, and also added extra space in the emergency department for children who need care.