Respiratory Emergency Department Visits Data

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The goal of this dashboard is to allow users to visualize the trends in Louisiana COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Data sources and conditions are described below. Updates will occur weekly on Friday and will contain data up to the previous week (Sunday – Saturday).

Emergency Department Visits: Data come from Louisiana emergency departments (EDs) that participate in the National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP). COVID-like illness (CLI) is defined as an ED visit with a chief complaint that includes fever, and either cough or shortness of breath; or a COVID-19 discharge diagnosis; and excludes visits with an influenza discharge diagnosis. Influenza-like illness (ILI) is defined as an ED visit with a chief complaint that includes fever or chills, and either cough, sore throat, or upper respiratory infection; or has an influenza discharge diagnosis. RSV-like illness is defined as an ED visit with a chief complaint that includes RSV, bronchiolitis, or syncytial virus; or has an RSV discharge diagnosis.

Data shown as a percentage are calculated by dividing ED visits with a chief complaint or discharge diagnosis of CLI, ILI, and RSV-like illness by all ED visits. For example, Region 1 COVID-19 data show ED visits attributable to CLI from region 1, as a fraction of all ED visits in region 1. By age-group COVID-19 data show ED visits attributable to CLI among 0–5 year olds, as a fraction of all ED visits among 0–5 year olds.

Respiratory Viruses: Every year, respiratory viruses such as influenza (flu), COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cause hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths during the fall and winter virus season in the U.S. Illnesses can make anyone sick, but some people have risk factors that increase their chances of severe illness.

Respiratory viruses may cause both upper respiratory tract symptoms (for example, in the nose and throat) and lower respiratory tract symptoms (for example, in the lungs). Symptoms may include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Cough
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Decrease in appetite
• Sore throat
• Vomiting
• New loss of taste or smell
• Headache, muscle or body aches
• Diarrhea

More information can be found at: CDC – About Respiratory Illnesses.