Flu Season This Year Began At Christmas

Flu Season This Year Began At Christmas.
In Chicago, a polyclinic worker describes the crisis department as "knee-deep in flu and pneumonia cases". In Richmond, VA, Dr Kenneth Lucas of the Patient First clinic says he's seen a 30 percent spring up in flu cases, which "hit the bug around Christmastime" and "really rolled in with the holidays". And in Rhode Island, where almost 10 percent of danger office visits in the days week were due to flu-like symptoms, structure Health Department Director Michael Fine predicts this could be the worst flu ripen in years day4rx com. This year's influenza mellow got off to an early start, and according to these and other published accounts it's ramping up as nib flu season nears.

And "as we have moved into the end of December and January, vocation has really picked up in a lot more states," said Tom Skinner, spokesman for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Flu age as usual peaks in current January or early February but by November the flu was already severe and widespread in some parts of the South and Southeast.

Farther north, function has escalated in the Mid-Atlantic states, including Virginia, in totting up to Illinois and Rhode Island. "We did get off to an earlier blench than we usually see". According to the most late CDC statistics, last updated Dec 22, 2012 16 states and New York City were reporting excessive levels of flu activity. The states contain Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.

Experts judge each flu condition is unique. "Why one year flu period gets off to an at daybreak commencement versus a fresh start is unknown". Last year's flu season was somewhat mild. "We would expect this year's flu season will be more cold than last year, but how severe it's too early to say".

The leading strain so far this year is H3N2. "In years former times when we have seen an H3N2 dominate, we tend to see more severe illness in junior kids and the elderly". An estimated 36000 kinfolk die from the flu and its complications in a typical season, according to the CDC. From 1976 to 2006, estimates of flu-associated deaths in the United States ranged from a frail of about 3000 to a elated of about 49000 people.

The best extortion is for everyone 6 months of age and older to get the flu vaccine. "It's not too dead to get vaccinated". Ample vaccine was made available, but since it's ex- in the vaccination season it may be a undersized harder to find.

Also encouraging is that the vaccine is a good match for the strains of flu circulating now. Flu symptoms involve fever, cough, fatigue, crescendo and body aches, and runny nose. People at specific risk for flu and its complications are pregnant women, those 65 and older and anyone with a long-standing illness skinexfoliator. The CDC urges these mortals to get the flu vaccine, which is available as an injection or nasal aerosol and in a stronger dose for seniors.