The holiday season brought an unwelcome surge in respiratory illnesses across Ohio, with flu hospitalizations doubling in just one week. According to the Ohio Department of Health, influenza hospitalizations jumped from 745 during Christmas week to nearly 1500 during New Year’s week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified Ohio in the “very high” flu activity level since mid-December. RSV cases have also doubled since mid-December. The next data breakdown from the Ohio Department of Health is scheduled for Thursday.
Flu hospitalizations double in Ohio
Jan 8, 2026 | 7:39 AM