Right now it can feel like everyone you know is sick with some kind of virus. Nearly twice as many patients have visited Tufts Medicine’s Urgent Care locations each day than what is typical this time of year and more patients in our Emergency Rooms are testing positive for Influenza A, Influenza B, COVID and RSV.
The trend mirrors a nationwide spike in viral respiratory illnesses, which is typical during the winter season.
In November 2024, around 1% of patients tested for influenza received positive test results, said Jonathan Drake, MD, Chief of Emergency Medicine at Lowell General Hospital. In the past two weeks, that number climbed significantly from 5.8% to 17.9%. The positivity rate for those tested for COVID climbed from 5.2% in mid-December to 8.3% last week. The Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) positivity rate has remained between 22-34% since November.
“We are also seeing a lot of other viral respiratory illness that test negative to these three but are ones that we don’t routinely test for,” said Dr. Drake. “Additionally, we have been seeing a large number of viral illness affecting the GI tract like the norovirus.”
In addition to those Emergency Department visits, the number of patients treated at Tufts Medical Center Urgent Care locations has nearly doubled. About 150 to 200 patients are typically treated across all locations each day, according to Mary Lynn Joe, MD, FACEP. Right now, she estimates we are seeing 250-300 patients every day.
Because the volume of patients we are helping is high, those visiting Urgent Care or the Emergency Room should expect wait times to be longer and waiting rooms more crowded. Viral illnesses cannot be treated with antibiotics, so when possible, it is advised to treat your symptoms at home.
When possible, manage your symptoms at home by staying hydrated, staying home from school or work and getting rest. To treat a cough or sore throat in adults, Dr. Joe recommends honey with tea and lemon, nasal saline or Flonase for congestion, and over the counter cough medications with guaifenesin/ dextromethorphan.
When experiencing difficulty breathing, shortness of breath even with minimal exertion or at rest, persistent fever, decreased urine output, vomiting, inability to stay hydrated, confusion, weakness, altered mental status, or lethargy, you should visit the Emergency Room.
“The treatment for most viral illnesses is mainly supportive care, which can include ibuprofen or acetaminophen, oral hydration, and extra rest,” said Dr. Drake. “However, patients who are very young, elderly and/or have additional significant medical conditions (chronic illness, lung disease such as COPD/asthma, or who are immunocompromised) may benefit from influenza and COVID testing as there are specific treatments available for these conditions.”
If an adult is unable to drink liquids due to persistent vomiting, they may need to go to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care to obtain anti-nausea medication. If they are severely dehydrated, they may require IV fluids. If an adult is immunocompromised (for example those receiving chemotherapy or those who are on chronic steroids, or take immunosuppressant medications due to organ transplantation), they often require evaluation and treatment of their symptoms in the Emergency Department as well as investigation to ensure that they are able to manage their illness safely.
RSV testing can also be important for very young children because it affects them more significantly than older children and adults. Young children with significant illness, such as RSV, may require oxygen and other medications to help manage the disease.
Frequent handwashing, covering your mouth with a tissue or sleeve when coughing/sneezing and then washing hands or using hand sanitizer immediately afterwards can help stop the spread of many viral diseases. Additionally, if you have not yet received your flu shot, it’s not too late.
Not feeling your best? You might be able to save yourself a trip to the doctor. myTuftsMed lets you chat with a clinician, use our online symptom checker, book appointments, request and refill prescriptions, view and share your records and much more!
