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Flu and RSV rising locally; COVID levels low, norovirus higher this season, board hears dashboard update
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Summary
The Summit County epidemiology team reported an increase in flu cases and RSV over recent weeks, continued low COVID case counts and wastewater levels, and elevated norovirus activity compared with prior local years; staff said they update the dashboard weekly and monitor wastewater trends.
Nancy, the department epidemiology presenter, shared the department’s respiratory disease dashboard and said influenza cases have been rising for several weeks, consistent with a second seasonal peak seen statewide and nationally.
Nancy said RSV cases are increasing but not as high as past years, and recent RSV detections included a larger share among adults (18 and older) than children. She reported COVID-19 case counts remain low locally and that local wastewater SARS-CoV-2 concentrations are low and have plateaued. National wastewater indicators are modestly higher than Utah’s levels, she said.
Nancy added a new norovirus indicator to the dashboard and noted testing is uncommon; however, where tests are performed roughly 21% are positive nationally, and local reported cases suggest a higher norovirus season than recent years. She told the board that norovirus is highly transmissible and that handwashing with soap and water is more effective than hand sanitizer for preventing spread.
Board members asked about avian influenza (H5N1) and tuberculosis. Nancy said Utah had no human H5N1 cases and that she had not seen newsworthy human updates; Derek Moss and other staff said the department tracks tuberculosis actively, that TB is a reportable disease, and that cases are investigated and communicated across states when individuals move.
Nancy concluded that wastewater and laboratory data are proxies and that she updates the dashboard every Wednesday when wastewater data are released.
