In Boston, Mayor Thomas Menino has declared a public health emergency because of the flu epidemic sweeping the state. Four people have died in Boston so far because of the flu, and a total of 18 have died in Massachusetts as a whole.
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley Hospital has set up heated tents outside its emergency room to treat the throngs of flu patients. The tents allow staff to treat flu patients more quickly and keep those patients from coming into contact with others in the emergency room and spreading the disease.
“It’s very scary to see that on television and think of how many people are affected,” said Sherry Hillis, director of infection prevention at Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that flu is currently widespread in 47 states, including Georgia. The CDC reports that 20 people under the age of 18 have died because of flu or flu-related illness since the flu season started in September. The CDC doesn’t report adult death. But some states do, and several have reported a dozen or more so far this flu season.
Georgia has reported just two flu deaths so far this season, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. The department says this is the worst flu season for the state in a decade. But the epidemic doesn’t seen quite as strong in Georgia as in some other states.
Local hospitals report flu has kept them busy but not swamped like hospitals in some other parts of the country.
“It has had an impact, and it has been significant. But we haven’t been overwhelmed. And the rate has dropped off in the last couple of weeks,” said Roy Orr, chief executive officer of Murray Medical Center. “We think that the kids being out of school helped us by slowing the spread of the flu. Four weeks ago, we were seeing an average of about 25 (confirmed cases) a week. It has dropped down to the 10 to 15 range during the past two weeks.”
Hillis said Hamilton has seen 100 confirmed flu cases since the third week of December.
“Those are cases that have been confirmed through laboratory tests. There are probably many more people with flu that we are treating that we haven’t confirmed,” she said. “It’s a big impact. We are seeing them in our emergency room and clinics.”
Hillis said flu and flu complications are keeping the hospital full and staff busy but not to the extent that some other hospitals are. Still, she said, this season has been much more active than the flu season last year.
“Last year, we might see three or four (confirmed) cases a month,” she said.
Dr. Patrick O’Neal, director of the Department of Public Health’s Division of Health Protection, said flu activity has decreased in Georgia. But he warns it is unpredictable.
“We are getting reports of more severe flu effects in neighboring states, including the number of deaths,” he said in a statement. “Peak flu season typically does not happen until late January or early February so we may not have seen the worst yet.”
North Georgia Health District Public Information Officer Jennifer King says there are a number of steps people should take to reduce their chances of catching or spreading the flu.
“We can’t stress enough frequent hand washing, not touching your face, sneezing into your arm,” she said. “And if you haven’t had a flu shot, particularly if in a high risk group such as the elderly or people with chronic disease, you still can.”
King says the Whitfield County Health Department still has regular flu vaccine for $20 and high-dose vaccine for those over age 65 for $52.
“Medicare and many private insurance plans will cover that,” she said.
Local News
Related Photos
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Selena Joy, a registered nurse with the Whitfield County Health Department, gives Susan Hunter of Dalton a flu shot during the drive-by flu shot clinic at the trade center last year. Misty Watson/The Daily Citizen
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Brooke Ellis, left and Amber Bradford, registered nurses at Hamilton Medical Center, prepare to give a patient a flu test.
Discussion
January 12, 2013
Flu widespread locally
- Local News
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‘D’ is for Dominant
Dalton High School soccer players climb into the stands at the finale of their championship game Friday in Carrollton after they became the state Class 4A champions. (Matt Hamilton/The Daily Citizen)
CARROLLTON — Best in Whitfield County. Best in Region 7-4A. Best in the state.
Continued ...
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