FAIRMONT– A trio of illnesses is circulating around Martin County. Community Health and Human Services of Faribault and Martin Counties says it’s seeing high case rates of Influenza A, RSV and Covid-19.

Public Health Sanitarian, Tim Langer, said that cases of those three are actually increasing throughout the country.

“Some parts of the country are even worse than Minnesota. We’re in the high range right now with influenza for sure,” Langer said.

He said that these illnesses, particularly influenza and RSV, are seeing higher case rates and earlier than normal.

Langer shared that RSV is primarily more of a concern in infants, young children and elderly adults, though anyone can get it. RSV is a common virus that causes inflammation of the small airways and can cause problems breathing, making it particularly worrisome in children under the age of 3.

Unlike influenza and covid, there are no vaccines for RSV and no antibiotics can be taken for it.

As for why cases of RSV and influenza are so high so early in the season, Langer suspects it’s because people went for almost three years wearing masks in work and school settings to prevent the spread of Covid.

“We had a couple years where the masks were helping to not only prevent covid, but they were preventing other illnesses as well,” Langer said.

He pointed out that in the winter, people gather more indoors, especially in Minnesota.

“You have people in close contact with each other. That’s a big issue as well,” Langer said.

While mask mandates have long been over and restrictions almost non-existent, cases are currently up for covid right now both locally and in the state. The omicron BA.5 variant is still the main strain circulating right now.

When it comes to preventing all three illnesses, hand-washing and covering coughs and sneezes is encouraged. Langer pointed out that influenza and covid are both contagious so people should stay home when sick and stay away from others who are sick.

“Masking will help to reduce your risk of getting all three,” Langer said.

Of course, getting vaccinated for influenza and covid is still encouraged. While people may still get sick, the symptoms are less severe and the likelihood of hospitalization goes down.

Langer said seeing multiple illnesses circulating at once is not ordinary, especially since covid, though it’s probably happened before.

“We haven’t had high rates of influenza and I don’t believe RSV either in the last three years,” Langer.