Ohio experiencing unusually high level of flu activity
The Ohio Department of Health
Flu season in Ohio does not usually go into high gear until January or February, but this year we already saw the number of influenza-related hospitalizations almost triple by early December.
Currently, our level of flu activity is at “widespread,” which means that there have been outbreaks of influenza and increases in influenza-like illness cases in at least half the regions in Ohio.
As of Dec. 31, 2011, 71 Influenza-associated hospitalizations had been reported to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH).
This year, 1,230 such hospitalizations had already been reported by the comparative time frame.
Seasonal influenza, also known as the flu, is an illness that causes fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and body aches. It is usually spread from person to person by coughing and sneezing. Flu season in Ohio can begin as early as October and run as late as March.
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Most people who get the flu usually recover in one to two weeks, but the flu can be deadly. On average, 3,000 people in Ohio die from pneumonia and/or influenza each year. Not all of these deaths are directly related to the flu but many are – and possibly could be prevented with a flu vaccine.
The 2012-13 seasonal flu vaccine protects against three separate influenza viruses that scientists predict will be the most common during the upcoming season (H3N2, H1N1 and influenza B).
This season's flu vaccine does NOT protect against the influenza A H3N2v. However, the last H3N2v case in Ohio was reported on Sept. 14, 2012. Almost all H3N2v cases resulted from close contact with swine. At this time, H3N2v does not appear to spread easily from person to person, and ODH does not anticipate many cases during flu season.
Who Should Get a Flu Shot?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) vaccine experts are again this year recommending that everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine each year.
While everyone should get a flu vaccine each flu season, the CDC notes it’s especially important that the following groups get vaccinated either because they are at high risk of having serious flu-related complications or because they live with or care for people at high risk for developing flu-related complications:
Pregnant women.
Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old.
People 65 years of age and older.
People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions.
People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
Household contacts and caregivers of children younger than 5 years of age with particular emphasis on vaccinating contacts of children younger than 6 months of age (children younger than 6 months are at highest risk of flu-related complications but are too young to get vaccinated).
Health care workers.
Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu.