(WABI) – Summer is still here, but some people are still suffering from the summer cold.
Northern Light Health says it has seen an increase in cases of the respiratory illness across Maine in recent months.
Influenza B cases are on the rise, with a strain of parvovirus usually found in dogs also now causing cases in humans, he said.
However, mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis are also sources of infection.
Northern Light Health says it’s normal to see an increase in hospitalizations during the summer months, but they’ve seen a big change this season.
“We don’t normally have this many patients coming into our outpatient clinics with upper respiratory illnesses, and some of that is definitely due to COVID-19, again. We’re seeing clear signs of COVID-19 increasing in Maine, and frankly all across New England, and one of the biggest signs of that is when we start looking at our sewage data — so they’re basically analyzing sewage across the state. They’re looking for the viral element of the virus that causes COVID-19. We’ve actually seen a steady increase over the last two months, but now we’re starting to see a more dramatic increase,” said Dr. James Jarvis, medical director of clinical education at Northern Light Health’s Eastern Maine Medical Center.
Jarvis advises people who work primarily indoors or have attended large gatherings and are experiencing symptoms to get tested for COVID-19.
If you are outdoors and develop symptoms such as fever or chills, consult a doctor.
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