Health officer: flu cases falling, RSV persisting and Washington watching measles clusters

Allison Berry, the county health officer, told the Board of Health on March 17 that local emergency‑department visits for acute respiratory infections fell appreciably in the prior week, driven primarily by a decline in influenza activity. She said influenza has been the main driver of winter hospitalizations and the recent drop likely signals that the community is moving out of the height of flu season.

Berry cautioned that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is still circulating locally and that recent hospitalizations have skewed toward older adults, even as vaccine availability and uptake have reduced severe pediatric surges. “Since the arrival of the RSV vaccine we really just haven't seen that in a year,” she said, adding that RSV remains a concern for infants under 1 and elders and recommending that people stay home when sick and consider masking in crowded indoor spaces.

On measles, Berry said Washington state remains at 26 confirmed cases and credited neighboring local jurisdictions for aggressive containment efforts. She warned that large outbreaks continue elsewhere in the country — noting Utah’s growing cluster — and urged that people be up to date on routine childhood and adult measles immunizations. “The best thing we can do to minimize the risk of an outbreak here is to make sure everybody who's eligible for a vaccine is up to date,” she said.

The health officer closed with practical guidance: those eligible for RSV vaccine who have not yet received it can get it through the health department; parents of infants and elder caregivers should take extra precautions; and schools and health partners will continue outreach and vaccination efforts.