LOS ANGELES, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- The western U.S. state of California may be in for a three-headed Cerberus of respiratory illnesses this winter as the flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19 collide, said a report of CalMatters, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news website.
Orange County in Southern California declared a local public health emergency on Monday over RSV, a common cause of pneumonia in babies that has contributed to a record number of pediatric hospitalizations and daily emergency room visits in the county.
Health officials of San Diego, also in Southern California, warned last week that a sharp increase of flu and RSV cases could have "a severe impact on people's lives and the county's medical resources this fall and winter."
Anticipating a possible winter wave of infections and hospitalizations, California plans to wait until Feb. 28, 2023 to end its COVID state of emergency, said the report.
Hospitals have relied on provisions of the emergency order to better accommodate patients during surges.
Even this end date may be too soon because the flu can also affect capacity and flu season typically runs through May, said the report.
