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Flu still a concern for Acadia Parish
by Howell DennisAcadia Parish Today.Com
58 mins 44 secs ago |
CROWLEY - Influenza is still reeking havoc across south Louisiana and Acadia Parish is no exception.
In fact, according to Rebbeca Duplechain, infectious disease/employee health/education director at American Legion Hospital, December had the highest percentage of positive flu tests for people who either came in themselves or had their specimens sent in by a doctor since they began giving the tests in 2009 due to the H1N1 virus. Of those tested last month, 19 percent of those came back positive.
While that number may not seem too high to some, it must be noted that Duplechain said that in past years it was rare for the positive percentage to reach double digits. This year in both November (12 percent) and December they have passed double digits. That make this flu season the first time since American Legion began testing that there have been two months which went into double digits.
?We normally test from September through March,? said Duplechain. ?In September it was 5 percent. In October it dropped to 2 percent. Then it spiked to the 12 percent in November.
Read more: AcadiaParishToday.com - Flu still a concern for Acadia Parish
by Howell DennisAcadia Parish Today.Com
58 mins 44 secs ago |
CROWLEY - Influenza is still reeking havoc across south Louisiana and Acadia Parish is no exception.
In fact, according to Rebbeca Duplechain, infectious disease/employee health/education director at American Legion Hospital, December had the highest percentage of positive flu tests for people who either came in themselves or had their specimens sent in by a doctor since they began giving the tests in 2009 due to the H1N1 virus. Of those tested last month, 19 percent of those came back positive.
While that number may not seem too high to some, it must be noted that Duplechain said that in past years it was rare for the positive percentage to reach double digits. This year in both November (12 percent) and December they have passed double digits. That make this flu season the first time since American Legion began testing that there have been two months which went into double digits.
?We normally test from September through March,? said Duplechain. ?In September it was 5 percent. In October it dropped to 2 percent. Then it spiked to the 12 percent in November.
Read more: AcadiaParishToday.com - Flu still a concern for Acadia Parish