Monitoring Report: Respiratory Viruses - December 2023 Data

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundFew sources regularly monitor hospitalizations associated with respiratory viruses. This study provides current hospitalization trends associated with six common respiratory viruses: COVID-19, influenza, human metapneumovirus (HMPV), parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and rhinovirus.ObjectiveThis study aims to supplement the surveillance data provided by the CDC by describing trends overall and for each respiratory virus. This study also provides valuable insight into two at-risk populations: infants and children (age 0-4) and older adults (age 65 and over).MethodsUsing a subset of real-world electronic health record (EHR) data from Truveta, a growing collective of health systems that provide more than 18% of all daily clinical care in the USA consortium of US healthcare systems, we identified people who were hospitalized between October 01, 2019 and December 31, 2023. We identified people who tested positive for any of the six respiratory virus within 14 days of the hospitalization. We report weekly trends in the rate of hospitalizations associated with each virus per all hospitalizations for the overall population and the two high-risk sub populations, infants and children and older adults.ResultsWe included 502,484 hospitalizations of 471,401 unique patients who tested positive for a respiratory virus between October 01, 2019 and December 31, 2023.Overall, the rate of hospitalizations associated with respiratory viruses continue to increase through the end of December 2023 (92.8% increase since November 2023). The largest increases over the past month have been seen in influenza- (251.7% increase), HMPV- (115.0% increase), and COVID-associated (88.6% increase) hospitalizations. For infants and children, RSV accounted for the most respiratory virus-associated hospitalizations, despite decreases throughout December 2023. In this population, COVID-associated hospitalizations had the biggest increase in the last month. For the older adult population, respiratory virus-associated hospitalizations increased to 10.3% per all hospitalizations. COVID remained the largest contributor; 5.3% of all hospitalizations were associated with COVID in the older adult population.DiscussionRespiratory virus-associated hospitalizations continued to increase overall, including for the two high risk populations we studied. RSV-associated hospitalizations continue to be the main contributor to illness in infants and children, while COVID-associated hospitalizations are the largest contributor for the older adult population. We will continue to monitor trends in all respiratory viruses.Trends in SurveillanceOverall populationOverall, the rate of hospitalizations associated with respiratory viruses continue to increase through the end of December 2023 (92.8% increase since November 2023). Specifically, COVID- (88.6%), influenza- (251.7%), and HMPV- (115.0%) associated hospitalization trends increased. COVID and influenza-associated hospitalizations are at 3.3% and 3.0% of all hospitalizations, respectively. Other viruses are each below 1% of hospitalizations. Nevertheless, at the end of December 2023, respiratory virus-associated hospitalizations accounted for 7.7% of all hospitalizations.Infants and children (age 0-4)For the population between 0-4 years old, in December 2023, RSV accounted for the most respiratory virus-associated hospitalizations, despite decreasing rates since November 2023 (24.7% decrease). COVID- (183.5% increase), influenza- (52.5% increase), and rhino-associated (39.5% increase) hospitalizations are increasing in this population. In this age group, 5.1% of all hospitalizations were associated with respiratory viruses in December 2023, a 10.5% increase from November 2023.Older adults (age 65 and over)In the older adults population (individuals over 65 years of age), there was a 93.7% increase in hospitalizations associated with respiratory viruses; 10.3% of all hospitalizations are associated with a respiratory virus. Influenza-associated hospitalizations had the largest percent increase between November and December 2023 (267.8%). COVID-associated hospitalizations continue to make up the largest percentage of hospitalizations in this age group (5.3% in December).