Tis the season for respiratory illnesses.
What has been called by the medical community a "triple-demic" of COVID, RSV and influenza is slamming hospitals as numbers remain high for each.
RSV and flu cases surged much earlier than expected.
"We've had a really early start to RSV this year with a high spike in a number of cases, but the good news is we appear to have peaked or are peaking in terms of RSV transmission," said Dr. Dean Blumberg of UC Davis Health.
As fingers are crossed RSV will begin to decline, California is being hit hard by high flu activity, among the worst in the United States, according to the CDC, which classifies California's flu transmission as "very high." It's a triple threat with three dangerous respiratory illnesses all spreading widely just weeks out from Christmas Day.
"Influenza is on the rise, and we do expect an uptick in the number of COVID cases," said Blumberg.