Flu activity is high in McHenry County.

The McHenry County Department of Health’s most recent respiratory illness surveillance report, covering the week of Nov. 30 to Dec. 6, said inpatient admissions for flu were up 11.1% and “emergency department visits due to influenza increased 66.7% last week in comparison to the previous week, with most visits among those aged 5-49 years and 65 years and older.”

According to the report, there was one flu-related intensive care unit admission and a flu cluster at a long-term care facility that week.

COVID-19 and RSV levels were moderate for the week of Dec. 6. COVID-19 emergency room visits were down 28.6%, but the report said inpatient admissions went up 50%. There also was a COVID-19 cluster at a long-term care facility.

RSV emergency room visits were stable “with most visits among those aged 0-4 years,” but inpatient admissions were up 200% from the previous week, according to the report.

Flu, COVID-19 and RSV were at “moderate” levels of activity the week of Nov. 29, which included Thanksgiving day.

All of them were moderate in the week of Nov. 22 and most were moderate the week of Nov. 15. RSV was low that week.

But the more moderate respiratory illness activity prompted the health department to say on social media right before Thanksgiving that it had been seeing an increase of respiratory illness.

The department said those who are sick should stay home from gatherings “to protect themselves and others.”

The department added vaccination is the best protection against respiratory illness, and people should consider staying up to date on their vaccines as the season progresses.

Vaccination rates for COVID-19 and the flu have been down, with only about 1 in 5 Illinoisans getting the flu shot and about 5% getting the COVID shot.