South Sound seeing uptick in flu cases. Still time to get a shot
If you’re reading this amid your own sniffles and coughs, join the club.
Pierce County is seeing an increase in flu activity, according to a Feb. 25 update posted on the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department’s website.
The bad news is that the Health Department’s report indicates that the area may see elevated numbers in flu cases “for several more weeks.”
The good news is that so far for the Tacoma area this has been a milder season.
USA Today reported earlier this week that the nation’s flu season, with the help of strain H3N2, might stretch into May. That same strain is in this area, according to the Health Department’s update.
It has been on the rise since early January along with hospitalizations, although the health department noted the increased hospitalizations “cannot be directly attributed to the increased detection of influenza A H3N2.”
H3N2 is not a new strain, even seen in the Hong Kong flu pandemic of 1968.
The state as a whole is reporting widespread flu activity; just about every state is reporting the same on the CDC’s website. Washington also is listed by the CDC with a high level of flu-like illness cases.
“We have seen a rise in acute upper respiratory illnesses including the flu that is common for this time of year and is making underlying diseases like emphysema worse, ”Nathan Schlicher, emergency medicine physician at St. Joseph Medical Center, told The News Tribune via email Wednesday in response to questions. “The health system between Olympia and Everett is beyond capacity, including CHI Franciscan.
“Hospitals are boarding patients in emergency departments due to overloaded inpatient units and the challenges of a busy flu season.”
A spokesman for MultiCare said that health system was seeing similar volumes, particularly its urgent care sites, which “continue to see a high volume of flu cases and believe that it is peaking now.”
Since the week ending Sept. 22, there have been 286 Pierce County residents hospitalized for the flu, ages ranging from 2 months to 96 years, according to the Health Department.
Pierce County has seen 11 flu-associated deaths since the season started, with the age of deaths ranging from 43 to 96.
Edie Jeffers, communications manager for the Health Department, said that while every flu season is different and the ultimate total for this year is yet to be seen, “We’ve had much a milder season this year.”
In 2017-18 season, there were 31 flu-related deaths in Pierce County, and 49 the season before that.
Schlicher noted that flu shots received even early in the season are still effective.
“It is effective for kids at reducing 60 percent of flu cases and nearly 50 percent for adults. There is some decline over time, but minimal over the course of a few months,” he said.
This season’s flu shot so far has been more protective against the H1N1 strain than H3N2, according to the USA Today report, but still works to reduce the effects of both.
If you haven’t been immunized, you can still get a flu shot, which takes about two weeks for its immunity properties to take effect.
If you’re one of the unlucky ones to be ill, remember to stay home unless you need to go out to seek medical care.
This story was originally published February 27, 2019 at 2:22 PM.
