Monitoring Report: Respiratory Viruses - December 2024 Data
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Background
Few 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.
Objective
This study aims to supplement the surveillance data provided by the CDC by describing latest trends (through December 29, 2024) 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).
Methods
Using a subset of real-world electronic health record (EHR) data from Truveta, a growing collective of health systems that provides more than 18% of all daily clinical care in the US, we identified people who were hospitalized between October 01, 2020 and December 29, 2024. We identified people who tested positive for any of the six respiratory viruses 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.
Results
We included 666,024 hospitalizations of 615,446 unique patients who tested positive for a respiratory virus between October 01, 2020 and December 29, 2024.
Overall, the rate of hospitalizations associated with respiratory viruses increased more than 3-fold (+209.2%) between the last week of November and the last week of December 2024. By the last week of December, respiratory virus-associated hospitalizations accounted for 9.3% of all hospitalizations, up from 3.0% in late November. Influenza-associated hospitalizations increased by more than 8-fold. In the population 0-4 years of age, RSV-associated hospitalizations continue to be the respiratory virus associated with the most hospitalizations; at the end of December 7.5% of all hospitalizations in this population were associated with RSV. Within the population over 65 years old, hospitalizations associated with respiratory viruses also continue to increase and now account for 11.2% of all hospitalizations within this age group; an increase of 257.8%. Influenza- and RSV-associated hospitalizations increased the greatest amount (an increase of 875.8% and 287.2%), in the last month for this population.
Discussion
Hospitalizations associated with all monitored viruses have increased between the last week of November and the last week of December. These data highlight the continued rise in hospitalization associated with respiratory viruses, especially for hospitalizations associated with RSV and influenza. Although HMVP-associated hospitalizations have increased, the trend is consistent with previous years. These data emphasize the need for continued surveillance and public health interventions, particularly in vulnerable populations such as young children and older adults.
