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West Covina health officer briefs council on surge in respiratory viruses as city presses for local health department approval
Summary
City Health Officer Dr. Basel told the council that influenza, RSV and COVID-19 activity are elevated in California and urged vaccination and hygiene. Separately, staff updated the council on the multiyear effort to establish a West Covina Health Department and the remaining budget and next steps toward provisional state recognition.
West Covina Health Officer Dr. Basel told the City Council on Feb. 18 that the city is seeing elevated respiratory illness activity and urged residents to vaccinate and follow basic hygiene and isolation guidance.
Dr. Basel said state and federal data show a “triple epidemic” of flu, COVID-19 and RSV, with norovirus also contributing to what public-health officials are calling a QuadDemic. He said the dominant COVID-19 lineage was XEC (about 45 percent in recent sequencing), that several influenza deaths have been reported, and that RSV remains high. He recommended vaccination where appropriate, early antiviral treatment for high-risk patients and standard infection controls such as handwashing, surface disinfection with chlorine solutions for norovirus and staying home when ill.
The briefing transitione…
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