At the Nov. 25 meeting of the Norwalk Board of Health, Brian Meeks of the health department said Thanksgiving week marks the start of the community’s respiratory-illness season and urged residents and agencies to prepare.

Meeks, presenting the department’s CDC-backed surveillance data, said Connecticut’s emergency-department indicators are at low activity and that COVID‑19 is at “very low with no change,” while influenza is at low but showing an increasing trend. “We’re gonna be hitting the catalyst or this is the catalyst this week, for things to pick up,” Meeks said.

Meeks highlighted wastewater monitoring as a key local signal, reporting that SARS‑CoV‑2, influenza and RSV have been detected in Lower Fairfield County wastewater at low levels. He also flagged other circulating pathogens—including rhinovirus/enterovirus and parainfluenza—that can increase clinic and emergency visits.

The health staff identified a new influenza A H3N2 subclade, described in the presentation as “k,” noting the subclade emerged after the seasonal vaccine formulation was finalized and that H3N2 historically leads to higher hospitalization rates. Meeks said vaccines remain useful to reduce hospitalizations and severe outcomes.

Meeks also referenced a recent human avian-influenza detection reported in another state, saying the person had backyard-poultry exposure and that community risk remains very low while still warranting monitoring.

On vaccine-preventable disease more broadly, Meeks gave national measles figures for 2025 and local vaccine access: “For the year 2025 at a national level, we’re at 1,753 cases,” he said, and noted roughly 12% of those cases resulted in hospitalization and three deaths reported to the CDC. He added that measles vaccine is offered at the Norwalk health department clinic and directed the public to the department’s web page for details (norwalkct.gov/1822/measles).

The department encouraged routine precautions—vaccination for influenza, COVID and RSV when indicated, hand hygiene, masking as appropriate, testing and staying home until fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. Meeks also promoted the health department’s travel health clinic and CDC traveler guidance.

The board received the briefing with no substantive action requested; Meeks closed by wishing the board a safe holiday season.