The Douglas County Health Department reported that the number of reported cases of influenza has decreased significantly over the last week. The percentage of outpatient visits with influenza-like illness (ILI) decreased last week and emergency department visits with ILI, hospital admissions with ILI also decreased. Due to the holiday break, school absenteeism due to illness was unavailable last week.
- A total of 6,307 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza have been reported this season (since October 1, 2022), with 654 cases reported last week.
- Out of the 6,307 cases reported this season, 751 cases were antigen rapid influenza diagnostic test (RIDT) influenza type A
- 5,548 were PCR-confirmed influenza type A (280 subtyped as A H3 and 99 as A H1N1), and five were PCR-confirmed influenza type B, two was RIDT influenza type B, and one was not typed.
The positive predictive value of RIDTs is low when the prevalence of influenza is low, so the likelihood of false positives is high.
Douglas County has had six adult deaths and one pediatric death related to influenza reported this season. Influenza-associated adult deaths are not reportable by law and may be underreported.
A total of 82 positive respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) tests were reported out of 1,773 tests performed last week.
The COVID-19 community level in Douglas County is high last week. A recent spike in reported cases was the result of a backlog of lab reports dating back several months from one laboratory were recently reported.
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