Infectious Disease Update: The Good, the Bad, and the Great

In light of the “triple-demic,” HSC Health Assistant CNO Allison Holt shares an overview of infectious diseases in the US this week.

The Good News:
• RSV cases are down
• The percentage of positive flu tests is down
• MonkeyPox cases are down

The Bad News:

COVID-19
• Tarrant County COVID-19 statistics ranked high this week, with 1,000+ new cases reported.
• Hospital Inpatient Occupancy is 93%, while Adult ICU Occupancy is 92%
• While the current Omicron subvariant, XBB.1.5, is still being investigated, we know that it is the most transmissible subvariant so far
• If you have tested positive for COVID, please notify your supervisor of illness and send an email to the confidential email HSCCOVID@unthsc.edu. Be sure to include #hscsecure in the subject line to encrypt the message. This helps my team manage exposures on campus and in general.

Strep A
The CDC released an Health Advisory (attached) regarding Increase in Pediatric Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infections. This Strep is age agnostic, however. Here are other risk groups:

• People aged 65 years or older
• American Indian and Alaska Native populations
• Residents of long-term care facilities
• People with medical conditions such as diabetes, malignancy, immunosuppression,
chronic kidney, cardiac, or respiratory disease
• People with wounds or skin disease
• People who inject drugs or who are experiencing homelessness

The Great News:
• You can continue to protect yourself and others by:
o social distancing
o wearing a face mask
o regular hand washing
o keeping up with vaccinations
o don’t come to work sick
• HSC Health still offers COVID-19 immunizations and boosters along with Flu and Monkey Pox Vaccines. Call 817-735-5051 to schedule an appointment.