SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Doctors are seeing a surge in respiratory illnesses in San Diego County following the holidays.  According to the county's most recent data, flu cases increased by 1,147 the week ending Dec. 28 compared to the previous week. RSV cases shot up by 68 in that same time frame, while COVID-19 cases decreased by 59.  After ruling out the possibilities, local resident Ryan Kew determined he's dealing with a common cold. "A little cough, runny nose, no flu. Took a COVID test. I don’t have COVID," Kew said. Dr. Jyotu Sandhu at Sharp Memorial Hospital said there’s a noticeable difference this season. "Normally we see flu rates rise around November through about February or so. This time it had a little bit of a late start, but we’re seeing a huge rise in the last few weeks," Dr. Sandhu said. Additionally, the California Department of Public Health is warning about a rise in whooping cough (pertussis) cases in young children. In a press release, CDPH noted that more than 2,000 cases of whooping cough were reported statewide between January and October 2024 -- 62 of those cases were infants less than four months of age who were hospitalized, including one infant who tragically died. During the same time range in 2023, there were less than 400 whooping cough cases reported in the state.  Doctors widely recommend vaccines as the most effective way to protect yourself against any respiratory illness. "Even for those who do get the flu in spite of getting the vaccine, when you just look at the numbers the chances of you getting really sick drop," Dr. Sandhu said. It's the type of advice local resident Connie Frost lives by. "I got the flu shots. I got the COVID shots. I am up to date,” Frost said. Dr. Sandhu added that we can expect to see respiratory illness rates continue to rise in the coming weeks, so it makes it even more important to practice safety measures. For information regarding access to vaccines, click here.