SYRACUSE -- If you thought you could get away with a flu-free winter, think again. The Centers For Disease Control has declared that the flu season is officially underway. It's the latest start for the disease in 24 years. The CDC report says flu is occurring in all 50 states but is widespread only in the state of California. The government agency does not consider the fly season officially underway until more than 10 percent of specimens taken from patients test positive for the flu virus. In New York State, the flu is classified as a "regional" outbreak which is one level below "widespread."
According to the New York State Health Department, there were 113 confirmed cases of influenza in New York for the week ending February 18th. That compares to 1668 cases at this time last year.
At the North Medical Center in Fayetteville, Nurse Practitioner Audrey Mathis told CNY Central's Jim Kenyon, the facility has seen only one case of the flu so far this season and that was a man who was visiting the area from California. Mathis says it appears that more people have opted to receive the flu vaccine this year mainly because of the H1N1 flu scare two years ago.
Experts say the this year's flu strains are the same as last year's, so many people may have built up a natural immunity.
Mathis says a number of patients who are complaining of the flu are actually suffering from a gastro-intestinal illness. She says the flu typically results in a high fever of between 103 and 104 degrees along with respiratory problems, body aches, headache, cough and sore throat.
Dr. Mark Polhemus who heads the Center for Global Health at Upstate University Hospital says it's not too late for people to receive the flu vaccine. "It's actually the perfect time for people to get vaccinated." he said. Looking to the future, Dr. Polhemus said, "I think the peak will be sometime in the future, in the next few months." The flu season usually ends in the month of May, but given the late start of this year's flu season, Dr. Polhemus says it could last well into the month of June.
