FluCDC: Severe flu strain spreading across U.S.

Published 21 January 2013

According to the Center for Disease Control(CDC), thirty states  are reporting high levels of flu-like illnesses. The flu  going around this year is called HN32, and this strain is likely to keep people ill for longer periods than other strains.

This year's flu is widespread from coast to coast // Source: cdc.gov

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), thirty states  are reporting high levels of flu-like illnesses.

The flu  going around this year is called HN32, and this strain is likely to keep people ill for longer periods than other strains.

CNN reports that CDC notes that Montana and Kentucky are the only two states  not reporting widespread flu activity. The term “widespread” refers to the spread of the flu, not its severity, meaning that more than 50 percent of geographic regions in a state are reporting flu activity.

The report is compiled from data collected by the CDC through 12 January.

Dr. Thomas Frieden, the CDC’s director, told CNN that the overall number of people being treated in outpatient facilities is going down, but that the number is expected to grow in the western part of the country, where the flu season takes longer to start.

The number of elderly citizens being hospitalized has risen exponentially, and the CDC expects the number of hospitalizations and deaths among the elderly to rise. Almost 90 percent of flu-related death victims are people over the age of sixty-five.

Since the flu season began, twenty pediatric deaths have occurred, with an additional nine dying last week. The CDC does not count flu-related deaths in adults.

The United States is only about halfway through the yearly 12-week flu season, according to Friden, and the agency is not sure when the season will peak.

The only thing predictable about the flu is it’s unpredictable.” Friden told CNN.

The flu vaccine, which is available at most hospitals and local pharmacies, is only about 62 percent effective, according to Friden, but he also said the vaccine is the best prevention tool out there.

Vaccine manufactures told CNN last week that the shot is available for those who want it. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved a vaccine from seven different manufactures, who “collectively produced 145 million doses” of flu vaccine for this season, according to Dr. Margaret Hamburg, the FDA commissioner..

This is twice the supply that was available only several years ago,” Hamburg added.

Dr. David Zich, an internal medicine and emergency medicine physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, said most patients should not run to the hospital once the feel sick. Just get plenty of rest and take painkillers to help with muscle pain.

Symptoms such as being short of breath, vomiting excessively, or sweating from a fever are indications that a trip to the hospital may be necessary.