July 23, 2020 – Countries in the Southern Hemisphere are reporting low numbers of flu and other seasonal viruses, which could offer a sliver of hope for U.S. hospitals this fall, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The Southern Hemisphere’s flu season typically runs from April to September and is used by health experts as a predictor for the Northern Hemisphere’s upcoming flu season. Many hospitals in the U.S. have been bracing to deal with the seasonal flu patients on top of an expected surge in COVID-19 patients this fall, which could strain resources and bed capacity.
However, the measures that many other countries in the world have taken to stop the COVID-19 pandemic may have had the indirect benefit of reducing all other respiratory infections. Many countries in the Southern Hemisphere are reporting fewer cases of respiratory illnesses like flu, respiratory syncytial virus and pneumococcal disease this season.
For instance, Chile has reported 1,134 seasonal respiratory illnesses this year, compared to 20,949 for the same period last year…