Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/sd-no-flu-explosion-20171222-story.html
San Diego's flu deaths double in less than a week
Paul Sisson
December 22, 2017 6:25 PM
It looks like predictions of a severe flu season this year, presaged by a similar run in Australia, are starting to come true in San Diego.
A sudden surge of flu activity prompted public health officials to hold a rare news conference Friday, warning that the level of influenza activity detected at hospitals, doctors offices and labs is ?very worrisome? as Christmas Day approaches.
The number of flu-related deaths doubled in less than a week, reaching 10 by Thursday, while health care providers and labs reported 1,550 new flu cases. That number almost doubles the season total of 1,646 with two days still to go in the normal Sunday-through-Saturday weekly flu surveillance calendar.
Flu-related intensive care unit admissions at local hospitals also jumped from 17 last week to 32 this week, underlining the possibility that influenza can produce results far more severe than a few generally-miserable days at home in bed.
The five deaths reported this week skewed younger than those tallied in previous weeks. Two men, ages 58 and 60 and said to be from the ?north central? and ?north inland? parts of the county, died on Dec. 18 and Dec. 7, respectively. Previously, the youngest flu death reported was a woman age 85.
So much activity in such a short span, coming as it does just before the region takes some time off to enjoy Christmas festivities, was enough to prompt a rare warning from county Health and Human Services Agency experts...
San Diego's flu deaths double in less than a week
Paul Sisson
December 22, 2017 6:25 PM
It looks like predictions of a severe flu season this year, presaged by a similar run in Australia, are starting to come true in San Diego.
A sudden surge of flu activity prompted public health officials to hold a rare news conference Friday, warning that the level of influenza activity detected at hospitals, doctors offices and labs is ?very worrisome? as Christmas Day approaches.
The number of flu-related deaths doubled in less than a week, reaching 10 by Thursday, while health care providers and labs reported 1,550 new flu cases. That number almost doubles the season total of 1,646 with two days still to go in the normal Sunday-through-Saturday weekly flu surveillance calendar.
Flu-related intensive care unit admissions at local hospitals also jumped from 17 last week to 32 this week, underlining the possibility that influenza can produce results far more severe than a few generally-miserable days at home in bed.
The five deaths reported this week skewed younger than those tallied in previous weeks. Two men, ages 58 and 60 and said to be from the ?north central? and ?north inland? parts of the county, died on Dec. 18 and Dec. 7, respectively. Previously, the youngest flu death reported was a woman age 85.
So much activity in such a short span, coming as it does just before the region takes some time off to enjoy Christmas festivities, was enough to prompt a rare warning from county Health and Human Services Agency experts...