NY prepares for possible 'tripledemic'

'Tripledemic' threat looms as holiday season approaches

In the last week, the U.S. has seen a record-high number of positive flu tests. Around three quarters of the nation's pediatric hospital beds are full as RSV remains a top concern. And of course, we canot' forget about COVID-19. It it seems like everyone's sick, you might be right.

NEW YORK - Governor Kathy Hochul updated New Yorkers on how the state is preparing to fight what some are calling a "tripledemic," on Wednesday, as COVID-19, flu, and RSV cases fill the state's hospitals.

While she is ringing the warning bells, Hochul said the state was ready.

"Embrace the holidays, but not let our guard down. That is the message of today," Hochul said. "So we're going to continue alerting the public on what's going on. We're not out of the woods, the threat is real."

There has been a 76% increase in flu cases in New York, with more than 27,000 people testing positive this week alone.

"In 2019, the last year that we had a sort of usual seasonal flu season, in a single week we just hit 17,000 cases, so the numbers really are up," said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett.

COVID cases are also on the rise in New York City.

According to Hochul, the state has 7,857 ventilators and 17 million COVID-19 test kits in its stockpile.

RSV cases have also been overwhelming hospitals nationwide, but officials in New York say that it has not become an issue here yet, however they are watching bed capacity and pediatric admissions closely.

There is no antiviral medication to treat RSV, but health officials say parents should seek medical attention if their children are having difficulty breathing.