LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Flu rates have been rising steadily in recent weeks, according to new data released to KTLA by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
For the week ending Dec. 7, 10.8% of specimens tested for the flu were positive. This shows a significant increase in recent weeks, with positive test rates rising from 1.9% to 2.4%, then to 4.6%, 6.1%, and now above 10% of all samples tested.
RSV was detected in 6.4% of tested specimens.
Graphing on the LA County Department of Public Health website shows a yellow line tracking the flu, which has been rising faster than RSV or COVID-19 cases during the same period.
Despite all the talk about the flu and RSV, COVID-19 remains an issue in LA County. The Department of Public Health says that since the surveillance season started on Sept. 29, 11 influenza deaths have been identified through death certificate surveillance. Over the same period, there were 83 COVID-19 deaths identified.