Holiday Flu, COVID Cases Spike: See Activity Level In Passaic Co.

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ— Respiratory illnesses have been rising in Passaic County and around the Garden State amid the busy holiday season, according to state and federal health agencies.

Patch took a closer look at some of the numbers in Passaic Co., as updated health statistics show that cases of influenza and COVID-19 are ticking up and some hospitals are bringing back masking.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have New Jersey and the New York City metro listed as “very high” for overall respiratory illness activity, with increased numbers of people going to the emergency room for flu and COVID symptoms. Hospitalizations have risen as well, according to the CDC.

Flu activity is high statewide, including in Passaic County, data from the New Jersey Department of Health shows. There have been no confirmed pediatric deaths associated with flu reported this season, as of the most recent update.

The state’s COVID-19 rate has also increased in recent weeks, with more than 7,800 cases reported in the week ending Dec. 30. In December, there were 1,809 confirmed cases of COVID in Passaic, and a rate of 345 cases per 1,000 residents. Activity still remains low to medium, state officials said.

The state also recorded 90 COVID-related deaths in December, with a majority (14) of those in Bergen County and 5 in Passaic County.

The surge comes as a new subvariant called JN.1 has emerged. In a matter of short weeks, it has fully displaced HV.1 as the dominant variant nationally, now accounting for 44.1 percent of all new cases, according to the CDC.

RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, has been declining in recent weeks, the CDC said.

The rise in cases has prompted the two largest hospital networks in the state to require all patients, visitors and staff to wear masks during patient interactions. Hackensack Meridian began requiring masks for everyone as of Dec. 27, and RWJ Barnabas Health requires masks and is providing them rather than allowing visitors to use or bring their own. At hospitals in the Atlantic Health System, there are some restrictions on visitation in addition to a mask requirement.

Related article — Flu, COVID Cases Rise In NJ After Holidays, Masks Return To Hospitals