These 2 Illnesses Are Spiking In CA, CDC Says

CALIFORNIA — Health experts are warning that there are currently increasing levels of respiratory illnesses circulating in California.

Emergency department visits are currently at "very high" levels for the flu and "moderate" levels for Respiratory Syncytial Virus, according to the U.S. Centers Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.

There are also "increasing" levels for COVID-19, but the overall visits are considered "minimal."

"When levels are high, it may indicate that infections are making people sick enough to require treatment," the CDC explained.

Additionally, wastewater activity levels currently show "very high" levels of the flu in California, "high" levels of RSV but "low" levels of COVID, the CDC says.

"People who are infected often shed virus into wastewater, even if they don’t have symptoms. As a result, high wastewater levels may indicate an increased level of infections even when other measures remain low," according to the CDC.

And it's not just California experiencing the uptick. According to CDC data, COVID-19 activity has increased in most areas of the country. Flu activity remains elevated across the country, and RSV activity is "very high" in many areas of the country, particularly in young children.

The CDC predicts that peak hospitalizations from all respiratory viruses remain likely to be much higher than they were before the emergence of COVID-19.

RELATED: Norovirus Cases Are Surging, CDC Says: What To Know In CA

How To Know If You Have A Cold, The Flu, COVID-19 — Or Something Else

Some symptoms are hard to distinguish among illnesses, especially with respiratory viruses. Others are unmistakable.

Here's what to know about the illnesses currently spreading in the area:

• Norovirus is a foodborne illness that can spread through water and contaminated surfaces and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain for about one to three days.
• Several different types of viruses can cause the common cold and can cause a runny nose, congestion, cough, sneezing, sore throat, headaches, body aches or low fever for less than a week.
• The flu, caused by influenza viruses that are always changing, leads to fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headaches and feeling tired. Flu symptoms tend to hit more quickly than cold symptoms and can last anywhere from a few days to two weeks.
• COVID-19 can cause fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, congestion, loss of smell or taste, fatigue, aches, headache, nausea, or vomiting for several days.
• RSV can cause a runny nose, congestion, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, fever and a loss of appetite for a week or two.

How To Protect Yourself From Getting Sick

Wash your hands. Seriously. Rigorous and frequent handwashing — with soap! — is crucial to reduce the spread of norovirus, colds, flu and COVID-19. This is especially true after using the bathroom and eating or preparing food, the CDC says.

If norovirus has found you, you'll want to immediately clean surfaces that came in contact with contaminated food or bodily fluids. The CDC recommends disinfecting things with a chlorine bleach solution or one of the products listed on this Environmental Protection Agency website. Don't forget to wash any clothing that came in contact with vomit or feces — use hot water and detergent. Then, wash your hands.

With colds and flu, it's best to clean surfaces you regularly come into contact with. Think doorknobs, light switches, countertops, beloved toys and cell phones. Use household cleaning products that contain soap or detergent, and follow it up with a sanitizer. The CDC has more tips on how to clean. COVID-19 generally spreads through the air from droplets and particles, and the CDC says the risk of getting the virus from a contaminated surface is low.

Viruses can spread through talking, coughing and sneezing, so cover your mouth with a tissue if you feel a tickle in your throat or nose. Then, wash your hands. Again.

Even if you're not sick, consider masking in crowded areas with an N95 or medical-grade mask to protect yourself from respiratory viruses.

Don't touch your face. If you have a germ or virus on your unwashed hands—respiratory or norovirus—and touch your face, eyes, or nose, it can get into your mucus membranes and, voila! you're sick!

Updated COVID-19 vaccines and annual flu shots are available for people 6 months and older. People who are pregnant or 60 and older may want to get the RSV vaccine. There is no vaccine for norovirus or the common cold.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.