Illinois at high levels for respiratory illnesses such as flu, RSV

Illinois is currently experiencing a rise in respiratory illness levels, attributed to the winter surge in flu, RSV, and COVID-19 cases, with 21% of emergency department visits for acute respiratory illness. Vaccines are recommended as the most effective defense, with state health officials urging for facility-wide masking. The state has seen an increase in flu test positivity to 23.8% and a rise in norovirus outbreaks, prompting health guidelines for hand-washing and early testing for symptoms like fever and cough to curb the spread of illnesses.

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