Rise in flu-like illness could be sign of coronavirus spread in the US
[link:https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-rise-in-flu-like-illness-us.html|
Amazing, eh? That scientists say exact opposite of maggots.
More people in the United States are seeking medical care for symptoms of fever, cough and sore throat, but they are testing negative for flu. That could suggest that the spread of the new coronavirus is picking up steam in the U.S., Bloomberg.com reported.
Those networks are reporting an increased number of ILIs in people who test negative for influenza. However, it's not yet clear whether that increase is due to the spread of coronavirus, according to Bloomberg. In fact, it could be that more people are coming to their doctors with minor symptoms because they are concerned about COVID-19, the disease caused by the new virus.
However, a few signs suggest that COVID-19 could be behind at least some of these regional spikes. For instance, the uptick is noticeable in the Pacific Northwest, and Washington has reported the most cases of any state in the country, with 642 cases and 40 deaths as of Saturday afternoon (March 14.) In the week that ended March 7, 6.8% of Washington residents visited their doctors with flu-like symptoms, compared with 4% the prior week. Emergency room visits showed a similar trend. Like Washington, New York logged a slightly smaller increase in these doctors' visits, with a similar decline in positive flu cases.
More at link.
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