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New RSV cases slowing in Michigan, just in time for flu to pick up

This negative-stained transmission electron micrograph depicts the ultrastructural details of an influenza virus particle, or virion.
Frederick Murphy/CDC
This negative-stained transmission electron micrograph depicts the ultrastructural details of an influenza virus particle, or virion.

More Michigan children's hospitals say they're starting to see fewer RSV cases.

But just as RSV is dropping, influenza cases are climbing. That, plus staffing shortages, means the few hospitals in the state that do have pediatric ICUs are still under strain.

Doctor Rudy Valentini is with the Detroit Medical Center's children's hospital.

He says they can't put patients in about 40-percent of the beds they physically have...because they just don't have enough staff to care for them.

That's made it harder to take patients who need to be transferred from smaller hospitals.

"When outside hospitals call us, we always want to be able to say yes, and we haven't been able to say yes as quickly in recent weeks because of this mismatch between sort of demand and our ability to supply the the the resting place for these these sick children." said Valentini.

Pediatricians are urging adults and kids to get their flu and COVID vaccines to slow the spread of the viruses.