17-04-2025
Respiratory illness season fades in Grant County
Apr. 17—MOSES LAKE — With the arrival of spring the most severe phase of the 2024-25 respiratory illness has officially come to an end, according to the Grant County Health District.
"Since March 2025, emergency department visits in Grant County related to COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have remained below thresholds set by the health officers in our region," GCHD officials wrote in a press release Tuesday. "Other indicators show that respiratory virus activity is continuing to decline."
The flu caused the most trouble in 2024-25, with the highest rate of hospitalization nationally since 2010-11. Hospitalizations associated with COVID-19 were lower than all previous seasons since the disease first appeared on the scene in 2019.
"This season peaked in early February, when 13% of all emergency department visits were related to RSV, flu or COVID-19," the press release said. "Since the season began GCHD has responded to 12 flu outbreaks in schools and long-term care facilities, and five COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities."
Healthcare professionals are not required to report respiratory illnesses except for COVID-19 at a healthcare facility, it said, but many healthcare facilities share their observations with GCHD.
There have been four flu-related deaths during the current flu season. No COVID-19-related deaths were reported, it said.
