The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 39 COVID patients today, 33 yesterday. Other significant numbers:

• 21 with the active virus today, 18 yesterday
• 0 in ICU, 1 yesterday
• 0 on a ventilator, 0 yesterday
• 18 hospitalized, but out of acute infection phase, 15 yesterday

Key points from today’s guests:

Marc Johnson, Ph. D., lead researcher, Sewershed Surveillance Project, University of Missouri

• Able to track illnesses by region with sewer water tracking and it helps predict trends in spikes of illness by region.
• Samples are taken and sent to a lab for quick analysis.
• Caffeine contribution can tell how much the water has been diluted by rainwater.
• Missouri has one of the more comprehensive set-ups in the nation when it comes to wastewater tracking.

Amber Schmidtke, Ph. D., division chair of natural sciences and mathematics, University of Saint Mary

• Seven pediatric patients have died so far in the U.S. due to RSV.
• Flu-like illnesses are so intense in the Southern states.
• COVID is at a manageable level right now, but the virus is still evolving with variants.
• Make sure you are up to date on your COVID booster and get your flu shot.
• Wearing masks in public, handwashing, and staying home when sick can also help avoid spread of illnesses.

Nathan Bahr, M.D. infectious diseases doctor, The University of Kansas Health System

• On reports that repeat COVID can lead to organ failure, any time you get repeat illnesses/injuries it can lead to more damage.
• It’s another great reason to avoid getting COVID by staying up to date on vaccinations and taking proper precautions.
• There is a PCR test that can detect flu or RSV in one test.

Wednesday, November 23 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Open Mics With Dr. Stites. It used to be you had to see a doctor, get a prescription and have a custom fitting from an audiologist to get a hearing aid. Not anymore. We’ll explain why and show you what to look for if you’re looking to buy one on your own.

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