# 6818
While a few states are still reporting low influenza activity, much of the nation has reported significant increases in influenza-like-illnesses during the month of December. Of concern, the predominate strain this year has been H3N2, which tends to produce a more severe season than does H1N1.
With the holidays over and schools scheduled to return to session this week and next, many communities are bracing for another spike in flu cases.
A brief round up today of some of the news reports of Flu Activity around the country.
First stop, Minnesota, where the latest CDC FluView report showed only moderate activity as of the 22nd of last month.
Flu cases spike in Minnesota
The Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS —
Health officials predict it could be one of the worst flu seasons in years in Minnesota.
Flu patients have been filling urgent care centers and emergency rooms across the state. More than 120 Minnesotans were hospitalized with the flu in the week ending Dec. 22, nearly twice the number of cases in the previous week, health officials said. And it's still early in the flu season.
"That suggests this has the potential to be severe," said Minnesota Department of Health infectious disease director Kris Ehresmann.
From Florida, Sharon Sanders, editor of FluTrackers, has been in contact with the local health department, and files this report:
Influenza Trends Up in Central Florida in December
Sharon Sanders - Editor FluTrackers.com
January 2, 2012
Winter Park, Florida – Reports from sentinel providers indicate that influenza and influenza-like-illness have been trending up since Thanksgiving says Dain Weister who is the Florida Department of Health spokesman for Orange and Seminole counties. “We are reaching the level of activity seen in the 2009 pandemic” he said. Figure 1 on the Florida Flu Review for week 52 in 2010 shows the progression of the 2007-2008, 2008-2009, and 2009-2010 Florida influenza seasons as monitored by three surveillance systems: ILINet, Bureau of Laboratories viral surveillance, and county activity levels.
The Florida Department of Health indicates "Moderate” as the current level of influenza activity in Central Florida on its website (see map 2).
Mr. Weister reported that 2 nursing homes in the Central Florida area have experienced a flu outbreak this season. Most hospitalizations have been in the 55+ age group and most emergency room visits for flu symptoms have been in the 0-19 age range.
The prevalent influenza type in the area confirmed by laboratory testing is A/H3 and A/H1N1 (H1N1pdm09) has also caused some illness. Mr. Weister can reached at 407-858-1400 for further inquiries.
From Arizona, we get:
Cases of flu in AZ, across US already signal busy season
All but two Arizona counties have reported cases of the flu in what is turning out to be an early and busy season.
A total of 581 flu cases of the flu have been laboratory confirmed by the Arizona Department of Health Services this season, state data show. At this time last year only 10 cases had been confirmed statewide.
And this report (with video from WKYC-TV) from Ohio indicates a 13-fold increase in flu cases this year, over last.
Ohio flu season sees rise in hospitalizations
CLEVELAND -- The Ohio Department of Health is reporting a spike in the number of people hospitalized with influenza this year compared to last year.
Department spokeswoman Shannon Libby says it's early to see this much flu activity, with cases typically going up in January or February.
According to ODH influenza reports, 65 Ohioans were hospitalized with the influenza virus from October to late December 2011. In that same period this year, the number skyrocketed to 867.
A reminder that there are still plenty of places where you can get a flu shot, and since the peak of the season may still be a month or more away, it isn’t too late to do so.
In addition to the shot, the CDC recommends:
Take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.*
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
- If you are sick with flu–like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
- While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
These precautionary steps can also help protect against norovirus, which is spreading misery this winter as well -although Hand Sanitizers May Be `Suboptimal’ For Preventing Norovirus.
