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Louisiana Influenza 2018-19; 2 fatalities

Ronan Kelly

Ronan Kelly

Retired 2020
Homepage: http://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/page/1591

Week 43: 10/21/18 - 10/27/18

Influenza activity is slowly increasing in Louisiana. The State Public Health Laboratory
identified the first positive influenza surveillance sample this season; it was Influenza
B/Victoria, which is included in both the trivalent and quadrivalent vaccine
formulations. Influenza B are also the predominant positive rapid result being reported
from clinical laboratories around the state. Rhino/Enteroviruses continue to circulate
at a very high level and represent 60% of all non-influenza viruses being reported by
laboratories around the state.
...
http://ldh.la.gov/assets/docs/SurveillanceReports/InfluenzaSurveillance/Weekly2019/Influenza1843.pdf
 
[FONT=&quot]Louisiana Department of Health to hold statewide flu vaccination clinics[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]December 05, 2018[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot]Baton Rouge, La. ? According to Centers for Disease Prevention and Control data, Louisiana is among the states with the highest levels of flu activity so far this season. Because of this, the Louisiana Department of Health is encouraging people to not delay in getting a flu shot.

The flu vaccine is readily available for both children and adults throughout the state at healthcare providers and community pharmacies. In addition, the Louisiana Department of Health is making flu shots available at parish health units to allow people an easy way to get flu shots at no cost to the patient.

A special one-day flu shot promotion will be held Thursday, December 13 from 2 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.

A full list of sites that all be offering the flu shot can be found here.
?At the parish health units, we have extended the evening hours to better allow people to get their shot after they leave school or work,? said Dr. Frank Welch, immunization director for the Louisiana Department of Health.

The flu causes approximately 500 deaths and nearly 3,000 hospitalizations each year in Louisiana. However, in Louisiana last year, there were more than 15,000 hospitalizations and more than 1,600 deaths from the flu. Of those more than 1,600 deaths, five were pediatric deaths.

?In terms of flu seasons, the last one was very severe. Now is the time to get a flu shot and protect yourself from a serious illness,? said Dr. Welch. ?Although a flu shot is never 100 percent effective, a vaccination is the best way to prevent getting sick from the flu and getting serious complications.

The Louisiana Department of Health offers these reminders to help keep people from spreading the flu:[/FONT]
  • [FONT=&quot]Avoid close contact with people who are sick.[/FONT]
  • [FONT=&quot]If you have cold symptoms or have fever greater than 100.3, stay away from others until you have not had a fever for 24 hours.[/FONT]
  • [FONT=&quot]Call your doctor immediately to see if an antiviral medication is appropriate for you.[/FONT]
  • [FONT=&quot]If you are sick, do not visit vulnerable loved ones who may be receiving care in a hospital, nursing home, cancer center or other setting.[/FONT]
  • [FONT=&quot]If you are sick, do not kiss babies, pregnant women, grandparents and others who may be at a higher risk of getting sick.[/FONT]
  • [FONT=&quot]Cover your cough and sneeze.[/FONT]
  • [FONT=&quot]Try not to touch your eyes, nose and mouth.[/FONT]
  • [FONT=&quot]Wash your hands frequently.[/FONT]
  • [FONT=&quot]Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.[/FONT]
  • [FONT=&quot]These community flu clinics are open to the public, and walk-ups are welcome. Wear short or loose-fitting sleeves.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cost? The shots at the parish health units on Dec. 13 are no cost to everyone who participates. If you have insurance, bring your insurance information with you as your insurance will be billed.
...
http://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/newsroom/detail/4994[/FONT]
 
Week 51: 12/16/18 - 12/22/18
Influenza activity increased slightly this week in Louisiana. Rhino/Enteroviruses and RSV continue to represent the majority of non-influenza viruses reported.

Louisiana.png
...
http://ldh.la.gov/assets/docs/SurveillanceReports/InfluenzaSurveillance/Weekly2019/Influenza1851.pdf
 
Marrero school cleaning planned after absences surge

Updated Jan 28, 4:36 PM; Posted Jan 28, 12:49 PM
...
By Greg LaRose, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

A thorough school cleaning is planned Monday afternoon (Jan. 28) once classes are dismissed at Ray St. Pierre Academy in Marrero after 110 students were absent or checked out during the day. A school system official said some of the students have reported having ?a stomach bug or flu-like symptoms.?
...
The 110 students account for nearly 30 percent of the enrollment at St. Pierre Academy, which serves pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade students.
...
?Our Health Services Director is checking with the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) to see if they are aware of any illnesses going around in the area that would impact those students,? Beasley said.
...
School officials contacted the Louisiana Department of Health, although there is no reporting requirement for an unusual number of student illnesses, communications director Robert Johannessen said. Schools and daycares are encouraged to notify the state when illnesses exceed normal levels, he said.
...
https://www.nola.com/education/2019/01/marrero-school-cleaning-planned-after-absences-surge.html
 
More than 120 students pulled from Marrero school due to flu-like illness

BY CHAD CALDER | CCALDER@THEADVOCATE.COM UPDATED JAN 29, 2019 AT 4:07 PM

More than a quarter of the students at Ray St. Pierre Academy in Marrero were absent Tuesday following an outbreak of an illness that had 122 students missing school, either suffering from flulike symptoms or out of fear of contracting a virus.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Jefferson Parish public school system knew of 15 confirmed cases of the flu among the school's students, spokesman Ted Beasley said.
...
"We'll continue to monitor the situation," Beasley said. "We have checked with other schools and don't have any reports of this impacting other schools. Our Health Services Department checked with the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) yesterday to see if they were aware of a contagious illness going around, which they were not. We're encouraging parents to keep their children home if they are sick."

Dr. Raoult Ratard, of the Louisiana Department of Health?s infectious disease program, said there was a spike in confirmed flu cases statewide during the first couple weeks of the year, though it has since returned to normal levels. He added, however, that there could be other spikes before the season is over.
...
As for what is happening at Ray St. Pierre Academy, ?it looks like it?s a combination of several respiratory viruses,? Ratard said. ?We have collected some samples and we will see if it is anything special.?

https://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/article_0556c99a-23ff-11e9-9d12-77e0e372e2df.html
 
Homepage: http://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/page/1591

Week 4: 1/20/19 - 1/26/19

Influenza activity increased this week in Louisiana. Since the beginning of January, a
small number of long-term care facilities have reported outbreaks. The number of
reported outbreaks is increasing, particularly in elementary schools. Influenza A/H1N1
remains the dominant virus subtyped at the state public health laboratory but
influenza A/H3 is increasing. The percent of positive tests reported from clinical labs
remained near 15%. Rhino/Enteroviruses, RSV, and Coronaviruses continue to
represent the majority of non-influenza viruses reported.
... Louisiana.png

...
http://ldh.la.gov/assets/docs/Survei...luenza1904.pdf
 
Last edited:
St. Tammany Parish coroner sends stern message about the flu

Michael Vinsanau
Reporter

COVINGTON, La. ?

Within the past two weeks, a rise in the number of flu cases has prompted the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to raise the warning level for Louisiana from moderate to high.

With that increase comes a simple but stern message from the St. Tammany coroner Dr. Charles Preston: Get the flu shot.

"Just last week, an elementary school in Jefferson Parish had more than 100 reported cases of the flu or a flu-like virus," Preston said. "Almost all of this is preventable."
...

https://www.wdsu.com/article/st-tammany-parish-coroner-sends-stern-message-about-the-flu/26228101
 
Week 5: 1/27/19 - 2/2/19

Influenza activity increased significantly this week in Louisiana. Outbreaks continue to
be reported from schools and long-term care facilities. The number of influenza tests
reported by clinical labs nearly tripled this week and more than 25% of tests were
reported positive. Influenza A/H1N1 remains the dominant virus subtyped at the state
public health laboratory overall but influenza A/H3 was the most prevalent this week .
Rhino/Enteroviruses represent the majority of non-influenza viruses reported.

Louisiana.png
...
http://ldh.la.gov/assets/docs/SurveillanceReports/InfluenzaSurveillance/Weekly2019/Influenza1905.pdf
 
Flu outbreak in New Orleans area reaches high level, officials tell people with flu to stay home

BY NICK REIMANN | NREIMANN@THEADVOCATE.COM FEB 11, 2019 - 5:40 PM
...
Frank Welch, medical director for the Louisiana Department of Health's Immunization Program, said the percentage of patients reporting flu-like symptoms to their doctors has jumped above 8 percent, indicating a severe flu season.

When cases are broken down by region, the number jumps to more than 10 percent of patients for the area that encompasses Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. The typical high is between 4 and 5 percent, Welch said.
...
It?s two subtypes of that Type A strain ? H1N1, or swine flu, and H3N2 ? that Welch said are primarily being reported this year.
...
https://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/article_591bd7da-2e56-11e9-9fa0-fb518e1be5f9.html
 
Week 6: 2/3/19 - 2/9/19

Influenza activity increased significantly again this week in Louisiana. Outbreaks
continue to be reported from schools and long-term care facilities. For the second
consecutive week, greater than 25% of influenza tests reported by clinical labs are
positive. Influenza A/H1N1 remains the dominant virus subtyped at the state public
health laboratory overall but influenza A/H3 activity continues to increase.
Rhino/Enteroviruses represent the majority of non-influenza viruses reported.

Louisiana.png
...
http://ldh.la.gov/assets/docs/SurveillanceReports/InfluenzaSurveillance/Weekly2019/Influenza1906.pdf
 
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