News Tagged ‘flu’

The flu continues to wreak havoc in the state. Two flu-related deaths have been reported this week by the Indiana State Department of Health, bringing the total number of deaths and illnesses caused by the flu to 70.

The majority of those deaths have occurred in individuals with underlying medical conditions such as cancer, COPD, diabetes, and cardiac and renal diseases.

Health officials encourage you to wash your hands frequently, cover your cough and sneeze with your arm or disposable tissue and stay home from work or school when you are sick to keep your germs from spreading.

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While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that this season’s flu vaccine is less effective than previously reported, State Health Commissioner William VanNess maintains it’s the best defense for preventing the flu.

The CDC found that the vaccine is 56 percent effective for children and adults up to age 64 and only 9 percent effective for adults 65 and older. The effectiveness of the flu vaccine varies by season. In the past, the CDC has measured significant benefits of getting the flu vaccine among people 65 and older in terms of preventing infection.

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The Indiana State Department of Health indicated that the number of deaths from the flu remains at 43.

The number has risen steadily for the last few weeks, but it has tapered off for now. Most deaths involve people over the age of 65 and health officials are asking those in that age group to seek medical attention immediately if flu symptoms are being experienced.

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The number of flu-related deaths has now climbed to 40.

Of the 40 deaths, 38 individuals had underlying medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and asthma. A large majority of the deaths occurred in individuals older than the age of 65.

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The latest flu report will be out later today, but at last report 27 people had died as a result of influenza illnesses. Only two of those occurred in people under the age of 18. No county in Indiana has had five reported deaths.

All physicians, labs and hospitals are to report influenza-associated deaths to local health departments within 72 hours of the knowledge of death.

You are encouraged to protect yourself from getting the flu by practicing good hand washing techniques and to wash your hands frequently. Get the flu vaccine at your local health department, pharmacy or physician’s office.

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Twenty-seven deaths have now been reported as a result of flu-related illness in Indiana. The overwhelming majority have occurred in individuals older than 65.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has indicated that flu-deaths have reached epidemic levels, which means the nation is experiencing a higher number of flu-related deaths than was expected.

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Indiana is experiencing a high level of influenza-like activity early in this flu season with seven deaths reported since November.

Craig Felty, Executive Director of Patient Care at IU Health Starke Hospital said the hospital’s Emergency Room had 59 positive cases in December 2012. No cases of the flu were reported in December 2011. Pulaski Memorial Hospital has seen a big increase in positive influenza cases since Dec. 1.

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It’s not too late to get your flu shot!

A virus is making its way around the Kankakee Valley area and Starke County Health Nurse Frank Lynch says it will affect you for about a week or two before you’re completely over it. He reminds you to wash your hands frequently and to cough or sneeze into your elbow.

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It’s a pretty average flu season this year so far, according to Indiana State Epidemiologist Pam Pontones.

The flu is popping up early in some parts of the country, but Pontones says not too many cases have been reported in the state.

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Walk-in flu shot clinics have been scheduled by the Pulaski County Health Department.

The clinic hours are Oct. 2–4 from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m., and Oct. 3 from 8 a.m. to noon and 1–7 p.m. ET at the Pulaski County Health Department.

Flu vaccines will be $20 for adults and $20 for children. Insurance companies will not be billed. Parents can inquire if your child qualifies for publicly funded vaccines through the state. Call the Pulaski County Health Department at (574) 946-6080.

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Influenza A has hit Indiana with over 130 cases reported to the Indiana State Department of Health. Starke County Health Nurse Frank Lynch was asked how concerned we should be with this strain of the flu.

“As concerned as we should be about seasonal flu or any other type of flu,” explained Lynch. “Right now the flu that we’re seeing is more concentrated in farmers of swine and that kind of thing.”

Lynch was quick to say that this strain of flu should not be associated with the swine flu.

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Starke County Health Nurse, Frank Lynch, says the State and the Health Department are reporting a lower number of flu cases.

“The last flu report I got was for the last week of 2011, but flu is actually staying a little below what we were seeing last year,” he stated.

Lynch said the reason for the reduced number of flu cases varies.

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With plenty of sniffles, sneezes, and coughs abound, Starke County Health Nurse Frank Lynch wants to remind everyone that the flu vaccine is still available for adults and kids. The peak of the flu season in February and March is still on its way, but so far, cases of the flu have been down since the last flu season. The H1N1 virus isn’t any worse than last season as well, but we’re not out of the woods yet.

Lynch explains that getting the flu vaccine isn’t the only step to avoiding getting sick this season– as always, keeping those hands clean is vital.

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