The present flu season is shaping as much as be the worst in a decade. To date, there have been no less than 29 million diseases and 370,000 hospitalizations associated to the flu—probably the most for the reason that 2015–2016 season, in line with the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s (CDC) weekly flu report.
There have additionally been 16,000 deaths attributable to the flu, the CDC says.
“Only in the near past, for the primary time this 12 months, flu deaths have surpassed COVID deaths,” Dr. Lauren Siewny, medical director of the Duke College Emergency Division in Durham, N.C., instructed HealthDay TV.
There are a couple of the reason why this season has been so dangerous, she mentioned.
“A few of it could be some lingering results from the COVID pandemic—that we’re simply beginning to see of us out and about extra and spreading communicable illness,” Siewny mentioned.
“I feel a few of it’s simply that it is peaking late this 12 months, and so it is actually feeling prefer it’s dragging out that winter season,” she added. “Everybody that I do know seems like they’ve had some form of viral sickness within the final month.”
Nevertheless, Siewny thinks that the flu season has now reached its peak, and circumstances ought to begin subsiding quickly.
“We have now hit the height, no less than on this space. It appears to be like like the height was across the first week of February,” Siewny mentioned. “Once more, that is somewhat later than final 12 months. Final 12 months was extra across the holidays time.”
How dangerous the season has been varies relying on the place you reside, Siewny added.
“Really, in comparison with final 12 months, we’ve got had fewer hospitalizations,” Siewny mentioned of her area, in central North Carolina. “A few of it’s the way you outline how busy the flu season is. For those who take a look at hospitalizations, these are somewhat bit down from final 12 months. However for those who take a look at total emergency division visits, these have been excessive.”
Despite the fact that the season might need peaked, Siewny nonetheless recommends getting the flu vaccine if you have not already.
“It’s completely not too late. We nonetheless advocate it,” Siewny mentioned. “The flu vaccine is the perfect safety we’ve got, notably at stopping these hospitalizations within the of us who’re extra prone to influenza issues, such because the aged, the immunocompromised and really younger youngsters.”
She additionally recommends that individuals get immediate remedy for the flu, which may now embody antiviral medication which might be more likely to shorten an individual’s sickness.
“There’s completely a window,” Siewny mentioned. “For those who suppose you may have the flu, for those who check optimistic for the flu, and also you’re in a type of circumstances that might be probably prone to extreme illness, we actually need to get that medicine began inside the first 48 hours.”
Likewise, individuals ought to head to the ER in the event that they develop extreme signs, she added.
“The issues that we actually need to see within the emergency division are shortness of breath—that’s going to be the primary for us each time—confusion, extreme dehydration, chest ache,” Siewny mentioned. “These are the issues that I might form of bypass pressing care and are available to the emergency division for analysis.”
Extra info:
The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention has extra about influenza.
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