LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The holidays are over, and the cold weather is hanging around, meaning sniffles, coughs, runny noses, and more.
They're all hallmarks of one of the three respiratory illnesses that have hospitals on alert this week.
Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows COVID-related hospitalizations on the rise here in Arkansas.
"We're definitely seeing an uptick in COVID," Dr. Amanda Novack said.
At Baptist Health in Little Rock, during this busy respiratory illness season, Novack said COVID is what they're seeing the most of right now.
"COVID does tend to make our patients a little more sick than even flu and RSV," Novack said. "All three respiratory viruses can make people sick and put them in the hospital."
The most recent data from the CDC shows 319 COVID hospital admissions in the state as of Dec. 30.
Novack said numbers are climbing at Baptist.
"Right now, we have 47 COVID cases in the hospital and across our whole system," Novack said. "We have 41 [cases of] flu, so those two are neck and neck. Then RSV, we have about 20 across the system."
In some cases, all three of the respiratory illnesses can become deadly.
According to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), 20 COVID-related deaths were reported this week.
That number was zero for the last two weeks.
While that may seem like a big jump, ADH said those deaths did not all happen this week, and the recent holidays could have impacted the reporting.
As of January 2023 up until now, ADH has reported 649 total COVID deaths.
Those are numbers that Novack said show how COVID is still very much around and that we shouldn't forget to protect ourselves.
"We have good vaccines against all of these, and it's really not too late to get vaccinated. We still have several months of winter ahead," Novack said. "Getting vaccinated and protecting yourself and your family is worthwhile."
ADH continues to record data weekly for viral respiratory diseases, including COVID.