What you should know this flu season

This year a total of three southeast Idaho residents have died from influenza-related illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the proportion of people seeing their health care provider for influenza-like-illness has been at or above the national baseline for four consecutive weeks so far this season.

The number of states reporting widespread flu activity has increased from 12 states to 21 states.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention FluView report the first week of January has already shown an increase in flu activity across the United States. Idaho along with 21 other states are seeing an increase in reported widespread cases of the influenza virus.

Widespread influenza activity was reported by Puerto Rico and 21 states including Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington.

Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center Doctor Brandon Bloxham said they’ve seen a big spike in influenza A for the past weeks.

“There’s a lot of holiday get together’s a lot of people congregating in crowds. The flu spreading pretty easily in schools, workplaces, and nursing homes,” Bloxham said.

According to the CDC there are four types of influenza viruses: A, B, C and D. Human influenza A and B viruses cause seasonal epidemics of disease almost every winter in the United States. The emergence of a new and very different influenza A virus to infect people can cause an influenza pandemic. Influenza type C infections generally cause a mild respiratory illness and are not thought to cause epidemics. Influenza D viruses primarily affect cattle and are not known to infect or cause illness in people.

Bloxham said he still recommends people to continually hand wash even if they’ve had the flu shot.

“Practice good health habits including covering coughs, washing hands often, and avoiding people who are sick,” Bloxham said.

“If you are exposed to someone who has influenza make sure to frequently wash your hands. Use hand sanitizer and other things that sterilize your hands,” Bloxham said.

During most seasons, people 65 years and older bear the greatest burden of severe flu disease. In recent years, for example, it’s estimated that between 71 percent and 85 percent of seasonal flu-related deaths have occurred in people 65 years and older.

And between 54 percent and 70 percent of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations have occurred among people in that age group.

“There are two groups of people we recommend getting vaccinated and that’s the elderly and children, and take universal precautions to prevent the spread,” Bloxham said.

Even though Bloxham recommends the flu shot to his patients he said he’s seen many patients infected by the influenza A viruses that have had the flu vaccine.

“We’ve seen higher incidents of influenza in those who have been vaccinated. The main thing is continue hand washing if you are exposed to someone who has flu like illness make sure you wash your hands after interacting with them,” Bloxham said.