The Latest on Viruses

National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM)

As COVID-19 hospitalizations are declining, many hospitals are updating the traditional hospital design model to better accommodate the next pandemic. Some familiar viruses, such as influenza, have returned in unexpected ways while other viruses, including monkeypox and enterovirus, have become more prevalent. 

• Influenza: With COVID-19 precautions continuing to weaken and fewer individuals immunized against influenza, health officials are warning that this fall and winter may be an exceptionally severe flu season and that cases may begin to rise earlier than usual. The projected rise in flu and COVID-19 cases this winter could result in the long-feared "twindemic."

• Poliovirus: The US was recently designated as a country where circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus has been reported, joining a list with 30 other outbreak countries. 

• Monkeypox Cases: The US reported almost two-fifths of the world’s monkeypox cases. While new cases and serious complications are still occurring, transmission in the US appears to be slowing down. The CDC recommends that the monkeypox antiviral be reserved only for people at high risk for severe disease.

• Perception of Monkeypox: Awareness of monkeypox surged over the summer in the US and public health experts continue to warn about stigmatizing monkeypox messaging as was the case during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Increased awareness of monkeypox has also been accompanied by increased scrutiny for many individuals with skin conditions. For those that have contracted the lesion-causing virus, it continues to impact both physical and mental health.

• EV-D68 in Children: In September, the CDC issued a health advisory about the nationwide increase in pediatric hospitalizations with severe respiratory illness who also tested positive for rhinovirus or enterovirus EV-D68. In rare cases, this virus can cause polio-like symptoms in children.