Flu cases continue to surge across Cullman County, state

Published 5:15 am Saturday, January 6, 2018

If you haven’t been laid low with this winter’s flu, count yourself lucky and take precautions to avoid the virus which is surging across the area and state.

Flu cases went viral in the weeks leading up to Christmas, and they don’t appear to be letting up, according to local pharmacists and state health statistics.

This past week alone, Cullman Regional reported 88 positive flu tests, compared to nine in January 2016.

Influenza cases continue to rise across Alabama, with the virus designated as “widespread” by the Alabama Department of Public Health during the last week of 2017.

Medical providers reported lab-confirmed cases along with elevated influenza-like illness (ILI) or reported ILI outbreaks in five or more of the eight Public Health Districts (PHD), according to the ADPH. Several positive flu specimens in the north, west central, Jefferson, east central, southwestern, and southeastern districts of the state were identified in the previous three weeks.

Between Dec. 2 and Dec. 30, the percentage of lab-confirmed and influenza-like illness soared from around 3 percent to more than 40 percent of the specimens tested, according to the ADPH.

Influenza A (H3), Influenza A (2009 H1N1), Influenza B/Yamagata, and Influenza B/Victoria have been identified in specimens submitted to the state laboratory.

Fortunately, local pharmacies remain stocked with Tamiflu and its generic variety despite the spike in cases, according to Cullman pharmacists The Times spoke to Friday.

While fall is the prime time to get the flu vaccine, residents who haven’t been immunized should consider getting it. For those who have not received their annual influenza shot, the quadrivalent vaccine, which protects against four (quad) strains, is the only vaccine available that provides protection against Influenza B (Yamagata).

On Dec. 27, the Centers for Disease Control issued a health advisory, noting the increased influenza A(H3N2) activity and its clinical implications. A majority of these new influenza viruses are susceptible to flu medicine, like Tamiflu. However, there have been rare sporadic instances of oseltamivir-resistant and peramivir-resistant influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses and oseltamivir-resistant influenza A(H3N2) viruses have been detected worldwide.

Local pharmacists urged those who have the flu to begin antiviral treatment as early as possible to kick start the healing process.

For more information about preventing the spread of influenza, go online to the Alabama Department of Public Health at alabamapublichealth.gov/Influenza/