MILWAUKEE — Virus activity is continuing to pick up across Wisconsin.
The latest respiratory illness snapshot from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) showed overall illness activity is at its highest level since this same week last year.
DHS reported COVID transmission levels are at their highest since last January. Flu and RSV transmission rates remain at "moderate" levels, per DHS.
Dr. Minhaj Hussain, an Aurora Health Care infectious disease expert, said he’s seen an increase in cases of COVID, the flu, norovirus, pneumonia and RSV.
“It’s winter; people are gathering indoors because it’s cold outside and so it’s definitely a good situation for viruses to spread from person to person,” Husain said.
A local pharmacy said it has seen an uptick in people coming in for vaccination appointments as a line of defense against illnesses.
"Flu vaccines or your COVID, RSV, pneumonia — those type of vaccines are the ones that we’re starting to see upticks, with other people coming in to get them, which typically is indicative of what is happening in the community," Brian Bock, a pharmacist at Hayat Pharmacy, said.
When pharmacies experience an uptick, that means doctors do too.
It’s not just respiratory illnesses that are running rampant. Aurora Health Care doctors said they have see an uptick in norovirus.
“From the gastrointestinal or the stomach flu side of things, we are seeing some cases of norovirus as well,” Husain said.
Husain said in addition to regular handwashing, he recommends wearing a mask. Some Wisconsin hospitals are temporarily putting mask mandates back in effect for the time being.
“It's still highly recommended. It's still a very effective way of containing these illnesses, limiting the spread," he said. "If somebody is sick, we always tell them, 'Please do wear a mask so you don't spread the illness to anybody else.'”
Bock shared that same message and reminded customers that getting healthy requires an effort to live healthy.
“Making sure that we’re eating well, you know, exercising, doing things you know, that we can to protect others,” Bock said.