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What is a 'tripledemic?' Doctors warn of severe flu, RSV seasons

In addition to the flu comes RSV, respiratory syncytial virus – a virus doctors say is also showing up earlier this year due to COVID-19.

AUSTIN, Texas — Flu cases are rapidly rising across the nation, and that includes in Travis County.

On top of that, RSV cases are also high, with some Austin-area hospitals saying they are being inundated with cases in children.

Some doctors say we could see what is being called a "tripledemic," with COVID-19, flu and RSV cases rising all at once.

Doctors locally and statewide said, this year, these viruses are happening sooner than usual.

"We are seeing more influenza-like illness in our clinics than we typically see this time of year, and we're even higher than most other states in the nation," said Dr. Jennifer Shuford, the interim commissioner with the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Dr. Shuford said, right now, the state's flu positivity rate is at 13% This time last year it was 0.2%.

"It also begs the question: Does that mean we're going to have an early peak of our flu season, or are we just really getting started and that it's going to be a really bad and long flu season?" said Dr. Shuford.

In Austin, between early October and Oct. 15, the flu positivity rate doubled from 11% to 21.9%.

Dr. Desmar Walkes is Austin Public Health's medical director and said young kids are at risk.

"We're seeing long wait times and a lot of children presenting with a respiratory illness," said Dr. Walkes.

In addition to the flu comes RSV, respiratory syncytial virus – a virus doctors say is also showing up earlier this year due to COVID-19 and precautions taken in 2020 and 2021.

"Some people will just feel like they've got an upper respiratory tract infection and it's not as big of a problem, but others will get a really severe lower lung infection," said Dr. Shuford.

Austin-area hospitals are inundated with cases, putting out a statement sharing the state of their facilities.

"We're having to wait until there's bed availability at some of the higher-level children pediatrics centers, and that's a concern," said Dr. Walkes.

But could we see COVID-19, flu and RSV cases create a so-called "tripledemic?"

COVID-19 cases are down right now, but Dr. Shuford said that might only be temporary before the winter hits.

"We continue to see new sub-variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 emerge, and it's starting to cause increased cases in other parts of the world. And even we're seeing rises in other parts of the United States," said Dr. Shuford.

For more information and statistics on flu cases in Travis County, click here.

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