Super flu: Worst influenza season in 30 years sweeping Idaho
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – A rash of influenza cases in Idaho is raising alarm bells around the state.
Corbin Bunnage, a physician assistant at Sterling Urgent Care, says this is the worst flu season he’s seen in decades.
“It's been one of the worst flu seasons that we've had in 30 years,” Bunnage said. “In such a brief period of time, we went from having almost no flu cases to just being one of the worst in Idaho in the entire country.”
On the three-day weekend following Christmas, Sterling Urgent Care treated 180 patients, and 1/3 tested positive for influenza, he reports.
“We've had, I think the most recent CDC estimates is 11 or 12 million cases that we've had, and most of those have come just within the last six weeks,” Bunnage explained.
Eastern Idaho Public Health’s Health Strategies Program Manager Rachel Mugleston confirmed that three local individuals have died from influenza in Public Health District 7 this season.
“It's definitely an upward trajectory of these influenza-like illnesses across the state,” Mugleston said.
Last year, 87 Idahoans died of influenza, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reports. The DHW has designated all of southern Idaho as “very high” for influenza transmission.
“Primarily, right now we're seeing H3N2, which is influenza A,” Mugleston explained.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has designated all of southern Idaho as “very high” for influenza transmission.
This year’s virus has been particularly widespread because it mutated to develop a subclass K variant, commonly known as the super flu.
Bunnage said that as vaccination rates have declined, disease transmission is up.
Experts still recommend receiving the flu vaccination to help protect against this year’s super flu variant.
Vaccines are available at Eastern Idaho Public Health offices located in Bonneville, Custer, Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison and Teton counties.
You can visit Eastern Idaho Public Health's website for more information, to schedule an vaccination appointment or to call one of their local offices.
