Cases of flu-like illnesses inch down as holiday travel season begins

As Thanksgiving holiday travel is getting underway, cases of flu-like illnesses reported in North Carolina emergency departments inched down last week compared with a year ago.

The percentage of emergency visits for COVID-19-like symptoms fell slightly to 1.9% for the week ending Nov. 16 compared with 3.4% in 2023, according to data from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.  

For flu-like symptoms, those numbers were 0.9% for the week ending Nov. 16 and 2.4% for the same week a year before. Because symptoms of COVID-19 and influenza can be similar, the data can overlap.

North Carolina health officials reported the state’s first flu-related death of the 2024-25 season in the second week of October in the Charlotte area. 

State and federal health officials urge travelers to be prepared before embarking on holiday travel. In addition to keeping updated with vaccinations for flu and COVID, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends taking a travel health kit that includes prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines. 

Travelers may also want to take a mask, sunscreen, insect repellant and hand sanitizer.

Almost 80 million Americans will travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, according to AAA, and major North Carolina airports are bracing for a busy season. 

Charlotte Douglas International Airport anticipates 1.02 million passengers from Nov. 21 through Dec. 2, which would make it the busiest travel season ever, officials said in a news release. 

Raleigh-Durham International Airport, which set a record for Labor Day weekend traffic, expects 400,000 travelers over the holiday, comparable to 2023.