Force of Infection

Force of Infection, crafted by an infectious disease epidemiologist, offers insights into various outbreaks and infections, focusing on data trends like hospitalizations, wastewater analyses, and positivity rates. It aims to inform readers on keeping healthy amidst epidemics through practical advice and updates on disease activity across the nation.

Infectious Diseases Public Health Epidemiology Trends Outbreak Analysis Preventive Measures Virus Surveillance Health Advisories

The hottest Substack posts of Force of Infection

And their main takeaways

Outbreak Outlook - National - February 26

55 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Respiratory Diseases COVID-19 Stomach Bugs Food recalls
  1. Influenza-like illness rates are high in various parts of the U.S., with increases in adults aged 25-49 and 50-64, and children 0-4 years old showing a decrease.
  2. COVID-19 hospitalizations are decreasing nationwide and emergency department visits are improving, with wastewater concentration in the country either stable or declining in all regions.
  3. RSV season is mostly over in the U.S., with PCR test positivity rates falling below 5%, except for the Midwest, which is likely to see improvements.

Outbreak Outlook - National - March 11

50 implied HN points • 11 Mar 24
🏥 Health Politics Respiratory Diseases COVID-19 Stomach Bugs Food recalls
  1. Influenza-like illness rates marginally decreased this week, but we are still far from the end of flu season. Hospitalizations are gradually declining, especially in the 5-17 age group.
  2. COVID-19 metrics are showing improvement nationwide with decreasing emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and test positivity rates. Progress is observed in all regions of the country.
  3. Norovirus activity is increasing, with test positivity over 15%. Various food recalls due to contamination have been reported, including cinnamon, cheddar cheese, and granola products.

Outbreak Outlook - National - March 18

46 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Respiratory Diseases COVID-19 Stomach Bugs Food recalls
  1. ILI cases are decreasing nationally, including a drop in flu B cases, even in children and young adults.
  2. COVID-19 hospitalizations are improving across the US, with all regions showing declines and wastewater concentration dropping.
  3. Norovirus activity is high and rising, expected to remain so through April; key prevention method is proper handwashing.
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Wastewater ticks up

91 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
🏥 Health Politics COVID-19 Infections
  1. SARS-CoV-2 concentration in wastewater is increasing in three regions.
  2. Mid-summer may mark the beginning of a new Covid-19 wave, often starting in the South.
  3. State level data on Covid-19 in wastewater can be inconsistent and messy.

Winter flu season outlook

64 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness
  1. Last winter was tough due to various bugs during the 'tripledemic.'
  2. The author is uncertain about what this winter will hold.
  3. Consider subscribing to stay updated on the winter flu season outlook.

This month in outbreaks: July

71 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Outbreaks
  1. Updates on outbreaks are provided monthly during the summer months.
  2. Respiratory diseases are less common during the off season for viruses.
  3. Weekly updates will resume in October unless circumstances like a covid wave require earlier updates.

This week in outbreaks: July 28 edition

54 implied HN points • 28 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Outbreaks COVID-19 Prevention
  1. This week marks the one year anniversary, celebrating 60 newsletters and over 17,000 subscribers.
  2. Signs of a summer Covid-19 wave persist, indicated by rising wastewater concentration in all four regions.
  3. Consider subscribing to continue getting updates and access to full post archives with a 7-day free trial.

Pop-up poll

21 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellness
  1. Newsletter subscribers preferred receiving weekly updates even after flu and Covid-19 subsided.
  2. Majority of respondents opted for continuing weekly reports until the season ends.
  3. Some subscribers even requested to keep getting the reports.

This week in outbreaks: April 24 edition

53 implied HN points • 24 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Outbreaks
  1. Influenza-like illness activity fell to 2% of outpatient visits for fever and cough or sore throat.
  2. Young children's ILI activity, which stayed high, also decreased during the season.
  3. Continued decrease in ILI activity has been observed for about six weeks.

How to save a life

43 implied HN points • 07 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Safety Emergency Response Training
  1. Emergencies can happen unexpectedly, so it's important to know how to respond
  2. Watch short videos for quick refreshers on life-saving techniques like CPR and choking rescue
  3. Consider taking an in-person first aid course for more comprehensive training