Viral Season Update: Illness and Volume Trends and Helpful Resources for Our Community

As with past viral seasons, our goal is to share information and resources with our larger community as we all work together to care for patients during this busy time.

A second patient is being treated at Seattle Children’s for measles. Read the special update that was sent yesterday afternoon for more details.

If you missed our webinar on preparing your office or hospital for a measles community exposure, the recording is now available.

Viral Trends and Hospital Volumes

• ED Volumes: Our ED volumes remain elevated compared to previous years and we are seeing record inpatient census. Periodic surges can still result in longer wait times for patients and families. Please do not hesitate to send patients to the ED when you have emergent concerns.
• Influenza: Influenza activity is decreasing overall. Influenza B is rising as influenza A falls, which is typical for this time of year. We continue to monitor national Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) news.
• RSV: RSV positives remain above inter-seasonal baselines but continue to decline.
• SARS-CoV-2: We continue to see a very low positivity rate at Seattle Children’s.
• Mpox: The ongoing outbreak in Central and East Africa continues. Mpox testing is available at Seattle Children’s – if you feel your patient may have Mpox and want them tested, please call Mission Control at 206-987-8899.
• Other Respiratory Viruses: Rhino/enterovirus positives are the most common non-flu/non-RSV positives at Seattle Children’s. Traditionally, ED census remains elevated into May due to a combination of hMPV, seasonal coronavirus, influenza B and parainfluenza 3. Although none of these typically cause large waves individually, combined, they drive the latter half of our busy season.
• Measles: Measles remains active locally, nationally, and internationally. Encourage vaccination – infants age 6-11 months who are traveling internationally or domestically to a region with an outbreak may receive an MMR, children age 12+ months traveling internationally may receive their 2nd MMR 28+ days after the first dose. Because measles is so contagious, potential measles patients can easily expose everyone in the ED. At Seattle Children’s we have patients who may have measles enter the ED by an alternate route to avoid exposing other patients. If you are considering sending a patient for evaluation or treatment of measles, please call Mission Control at 206-987-8899 before sending the patient – they will work with our teams to facilitate evaluation while reducing exposure. See helpful resources below as we remain vigilant around infection prevention.
• Mycoplasma: Activity has been slightly elevated since late summer but is waning and near baseline levels.
• Pertussis: There has been an increase in pertussis activity state and nation-wide over the course of the year. Continue to encourage vaccination.
• Norovirus and Rotavirus: Norovirus remains high but may be past peak. Rotavirus activity is increasing.

Special Pathogens Team Update

Seattle Children’s has a special pathogens team that is continuously monitoring worldwide outbreaks to keep our staff, patients and community providers informed. There are currently alerts for Ebola and Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever in Uganda and an ongoing outbreak of Lassa Fever in Nigeria.

If you are treating a patient with recent (within the last month) travel to areas in Africa affected by hemorrhagic fevers and suspect a related illness, please contact your local public health department.

If you are referring an ill patient that needs urgent evaluation to Seattle Children’s, please call Mission Control at 206-987-8899 before sending the patient.

Measles Resources

• Webinar Recording: Measles Community Response
• Measles One-Pager for Healthcare Providers (AAP)
• Measles - For Healthcare Professionals (CDC)
• Measles Specimen Collection Instructions for RT-PCR (DOH)
• Measles Specimen Collection Instructions for Serology (DOH)
• Immunization Schedules (CDC)
• Safety Information for Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) Vaccines (CDC)

How You Can Help

• As ED volumes remain high, consider reminding families of your clinic’s resources and procedures for urgent and after-hours patient needs to help direct them to the most appropriate site of care.
• Encourage families to review our ED vs. Urgent Care guide to find the most appropriate care setting – we have options for in-person and virtual urgent care, orthopedic urgent care, and psychiatric urgent care.
• Families should be prepared that, if viral testing is deemed clinically appropriate, it will typically be performed using a panel that identifies only influenza, RSV, and COVID-19.
• Before sending your patient to the ED, contact our Mission Control team with as much notice as possible at 206-987-8899. This helps us plan for your patient’s arrival, especially if there are concerns for communicable diseases.

Additional Resources

Advise patient families to utilize our library of Barton Schmitt patient education handouts on hundreds of conditions including COVID-19, influenza and RSV.