Flu season is back
Flu season has been mild so far, but the number of confirmed cases is on the rise.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported increased influenza activity, with more expected in the coming weeks.
“We don’t always get as many cases, but it always hits a peak,” said Dr. Tom Pirosko, assistant medical director for Washington Health System.
Pirosko said there were only four confirmed cases at the hospital through Jan. 31. So far this month, there have been 16, with two cases resulting in hospitalizations.
During the last flu season, there were 695 cases at the hospital through Jan. 15, 2015.
“It might not hit that many cases, but it’s still definitely coming,” he said.
According to the state Department of Health, through Feb. 6 there were 33 confirmed cases in Washington County and one in Greene County.
But officials warn those numbers reflect people who sought treatment and had a positive test reported. It is estimated 600,000 to 2,400,000 Pennsylvanians get the flu each year, and 120 to 2,000 die from complications of the virus.
Pirosko recommended anyone who has not yet received a flu shot get one.
“Definitely. Because there’s a later peak in the flu season, we still recommend you get the vaccine,” he said. “Flu can last into the springtime.”
The most common symptoms are fever, body aches, coughing, nasal congestion and headache.
Pirosko advised frequently washing hands and coughing and sneezing into the crook of the arm to reduce spreading the illness. In the hospital, patients who come in with symptoms are given masks.
Treatment depends on the age of the patient. Those younger than 2 and older than 65 are treated with oseltamivir, or Tamiflu, to shorten the duration of symptoms. People with other conditions, like asthma, emphysema or a weakened immune system, also receive the treatment.
For those who are otherwise healthy, the option is to manage symptoms with pain relievers and fever reducers, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and cough medicine.
Pirosko advised those worried about the flu see their doctor. He said the virus normally lasts from seven to 10 days.