Summary

• During week 50 (December 11–17, 2017), overall activity rose slightly among children (+5%, or +4,871 visits) and remained stable among adults. Hospitalizations remained stable across all age groups.

• Most seasonal illnesses saw an increase over the past week. Notably: - an increase in visits for influenza/flu-like illness among children (+135%, or +1,012 visits) and among adults (+92%, or +281 visits). These visits currently account for less than 1% of emergency department activity among adults and approximately 2% among children (+1% compared to the same period last season). Associated hospitalizations are stable except among those aged 75 and older, with 59% of hospitalizations in week 50 compared to 54.4% in week 49. - Among both children and adults, there was an increase in visits for isolated fever (+25% and +20%, respectively), pneumonia (+19% and +9%), gastroenteritis (+18% and +12%, respectively), and acute bronchitis (+12% among 2- to 14-year-olds and +18% among adults). - Among children, there was an increase in visits for ENT conditions (+13%, or +1,571 visits); visits for bronchiolitis among children under 2 years of age remained stable in week 50.

• Among the most common conditions, aside from seasonal illnesses, the following were noted: among children, an increase in visits for abdominal pain (+7%); among those aged 15–74, an increase in anxiety disorders (+7%) and skin and subcutaneous infections (+7%); and among those aged 75 and older, an increase in dyspnea/respiratory failure (+7%) and abdominal pain (+6%).