Residents of the Lone Star State can now track the latest details on common illnesses thanks to the launch of the Texas Respiratory Illness Interactive Dashboard, created and maintained by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The new dashboard will track common illnesses, like COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). According to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) website, details will be updated every Friday using data on emergency hospital admissions from Texas Syndromic Surveillance.
The dashboard will include details about emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and deaths regarding specific respiratory illnesses.
In November, The Dallas Express reported that nearly every pediatric bed in Dallas-Fort Worth was occupied following a wave in respiratory illness. RSV was blamed for much of the capacity constraint. Typically, instances of RSV pick up in the fall before surging in the winter.
More recently, Texas Children’s Health says there’s been a 40% increase in the number of children being treated for the flu in the state compared to last week. So far this season, 46.9% of the state’s children have obtained their flu vaccine, below typical rates.
The DSHS also prepares a second weekly report, the Texas Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report, that houses additional information they say may be valuable for healthcare providers and others.