Flu Keeping Regional Medical Treatment Centers Busy

Sore throat, headache and general flu symptoms have sent numerous local residents to area hospitals and physician’s offices for treatment.“We strongly recommend that parents keep children who do not need to be there, and those at risk of getting the flu, away from the hospital unless absolutely necessary until this subsides,” said Robert Parker, CEO of Meadowview Regional Medical Center.

Since September, when only three flu cases were reported, there were only nominal increases in flu cases reported each month, then along came December, Parker said.

“It jumped to 126 cases, so far in December and we are seeing as steady flow of people with symptoms coming into the emergency room,” he said. “We are processing each case as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Children, the very young, pregnant women, elderly and people with underlying medical conditions are at a higher risk for the flu and should still have a flu shot and possibly a pneumonia shot, said officials at Mason County Health Department.

“We still have the flu and pneumonia shots available,” said Vicki Morgan, MCHD head nurse.

Area pharmacies also offer flu shots which are often covered by insurance.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “…the timing of flu is very unpredictable and can vary from season to season. Flu activity most commonly peaks in the U.S. between December and February. However, seasonal flu activity can begin as early as October and continue to occur as late as May.”

This year Kentucky and Ohio have been hit in the early round, with both joining the majority of the nation in the “widespread” category, officials said.

“We always have a lot of cases in winter but we have seen an increase in flu like symptoms. We have seen a lot more cases,” said Sherri Sapp, LPN at KidCare, Inc. in Maysville. “When both doctors are here, we have been seeing 150 to 180 children a day with symptoms.”

The numbers also reflect children who have come in through the emergency room at Meadowview Regional Medical Center, she said.

Most of the flu cases are in the Type A category.

“There have been few in type B,” she said.

Human influenza fall under types A and B viruses and usually cause seasonal epidemics almost every winter, officials said.

“Luckily, most of the cases we can treat with Tamiflu, if the symptoms appear within the 48 hour window,” Sapp said.

Last week a shortage of Tamiflu was reported at some pharmacies, she said.

According to a survey of area pharmacies, most have a supply of the medication in stock this week.

Keeping within the state average, about 20 percent of the cases at KidCare Inc. test positive for flu, Sapp said.

According to CDC data for the week of Dec 20, nationwide, more than 178,000 cases of flu symptoms have been reported, with 28.1 percent of them testing positive for the flu.

Flu symptoms should be taken seriously, officials said.

According to CDC data, so far, four pediatric deaths have been attributed to the flu in each of Kentucky and Ohio this flu season.

The Ledger Independent is online at: http://www.maysville-online.com