Week 8 Respiratory Update

An additional 28 flu cases were added to our data during week 8. This brings our total number of flu cases this season 1,052. Surrounding counties have also reported a slight uptick in flu cases within the past couple of weeks. Most cases continue to be Type A.

So far, this flu season, we have reported two flu deaths in the county.  Flu vaccination is the best way to prevent the spread of flu. CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccine especially those at a higher risk of serious complications.

 

COVID-19 Summary: (Sara Wilton, Epidemiologist)

CDC recently added a new tool, COVID-19 Community Levels, to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Health officials and individuals should consider current information about COVID-19 hospitalizations in the community, as well as the potential for strain on the local health system and COVID-19 cases in the community, when making decisions about community prevention strategies and individual behaviors. Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. 

Communities and individuals should also make decisions based on whether they are at high risk for severe disease and consider inequities in access to prevention strategies.

Currently, Jefferson County, MO is in the MEDIUM COMMUNITY LEVEL (yellow). In the MEDIUM level, the recommendations for individuals and households are:

  • If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease

    • Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions (e.g., testing)

    • Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing)

    • Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies

  • If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease

    • consider self-testing to detect infection before contact

    • consider wearing a mask when indoors with them

  • Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters

  • Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible

  • Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19

Remember, Community Transmission looks at the number of new cases per 100,000 persons in the last 7 days and percentage of Nucleic Acid Amplification Test results that are positive during the past 7 days. Community Level looks at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. Though community level metrics are the most impactful indicators of COVID data, CDC still provides transmission data so we will continue to do so as well.

This week the county has dropped into the ORANGE transmission status. As a reminder, if the indicators show two different transmission levels, the higher level is selected. During Week 7 we reported a weekly case count of 153 confirmed and probable cases, moving to ORANGE transmission status. Our percent positivity in Week 8 was 5.45% which drops that indicator into the YELLOW transmission status.

Of the 153 new cases reported in Week 7, 62.1% were unvaccinated, 22.87% were fully vaccinated, and 15.03% were fully vaccinated AND boosted. 54.25% of Jefferson County residents have initiated COVID vaccination, while 50.13% have completed the full series. The percentage of residents who have received a third dose or booster vaccine is 19.65%.

-        Total Cases: 52,758

-        Total Deaths: 500

             o     27 additional COVID deaths since last report

§  Female 40’s

§  3 Males, 50’s

§  Female, 60’s

§  2 Males, 60’s

§  Female, 70’s

§  5 Males, 70’s

§  6 Females, 80’s

§  4 Males, 80’s

§  3 Females, 90’s