Flu claims lives of Cleveland man, Broadview Heights woman, bringing season’s deaths to 11

flu shot

The window for getting a flu vaccine this season is rapidly closing. (Cory Morse | MLive.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland man, 66, and a Broadview Heights woman, 86, were the latest flu-related deaths in Cuyahoga County, bumping the total of flu-related deaths to 11 so far this season.

The deaths were reported during the week of March 10, Cuyahoga County health officials said. Privacy laws prevent health officials from releasing additional information.

Flu-related hospitalizations rose to nearly 900 cases in Cuyahoga County so far this season, which is expected to stretch into April.

In Summit County, there was one flu-related death during the week of March 10, along with 80 hospitalizations. More than 500 people have been hospitalized for flu-related sickness in Summit County this flu season, which began in December. The county has reported six flu-related deaths this season.

During the week of March 10, 24 people in Medina County were hospitalized for flu-related illness, bringing the season total to 107. There have been no flu-related deaths so far this flu season in Medina County.

Dr. Keyvan Ravakhah, chairman of the department of medicine at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, is seeing above-average flu activity among his patients. Although many of them came down with flu even though they were vaccinated, the shot kept many of them from becoming severely sick and winding up it the hospital, Ravakhah said.

He can relate to people who got the flu shot, but got sick anyway. A bout of flu ruined his record of perfect work attendance since 1990 and put him to bed for two days.

“I’ve never been that sick in my life,” he said, but he thinks it would have been worse if he had not been vaccinated.

The flu virus mutates quickly, which means that the viruses in the vaccine aren’t always a good match against the viruses that are circulating. Ravakhah estimates that about 60-70 percent of the circulating flu viruses were covered in this year’s flu shot. He’s seen relatively mild strains of flu viruses, such as A, H1N1 and B, in circulation.

“I don’t think it’s (flu shot) a great match. I do think it’s a good match,” he said. The flu vaccine is available at doctor offices, pharmacies and county health departments. Follow this link to find a vaccine provider near you.

He expects the flu season to stay strong locally until the end of March, when the season should start to wind down. Past the end of the March, it’s too late to get a flu shot, because it takes about two weeks for the vaccine to convey immunity, Ravakhah said.

Nationally, the flu season is expected to hang on into early spring.

A flu forecast from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the flu season peaked nationally in mid-February, but is expected to remain elevated through April. There is widespread flu activity in 44 states, and high activity in 26 states.

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