Flu cases on the rise in Marion, the rest of Ohio

MARION — Influenza has surged in recent weeks in Ohio, with hospital admissions for the flu continuing to rise in February, climbing higher than what's normal for this time of year.

"January was very, very heavy for us as far as number of cases in our emergency department," said Dr. Matthew White, medical director of emergency services at OhioHealth Marion General Hospital. "It was the busiest single month we've had in our ER for years."

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Ohio has reported 6,631 flu-related hospitalizations through Feb. 15, according to the Ohio Department of Health. Of that number, 38 hospital admissions have been in Marion County, according to the state.

The number of flu-related hospitalizations spiked this month, with 1,192 hospitalizations statewide reported during the week of  Feb. 9 to Feb. 15. That is the highest number of hospitalizations in a single week period so far this flu season.

A rough flu season

The number of hospital admissions is higher than five-year averages for this time of year, according to the Ohio Department of Health. White said it is difficult to tell when those numbers will start to decline.

Last year, hospital admissions for the flu didn't peak until March, which made for a "prolonged" flu season, White said.

By this time last year, Ohio had only reported 3,178 flu-related hospitalizations, but by the end of the 2018-19 flu season, that number had risen to 9,865, according to the state.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that so far this season, there have been 16,000 deaths nationwide from the flu. The CDC has reported 105 pediatric deaths from the flu.

That includes two young people from Ohio: an 11-year-old girl in Lake County and a 16-year-old girl from Cuyahoga County.

Adult flu deaths are not reported to the Ohio Department of Health. The flu is considered particularly dangerous to kids and the elderly.

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Vaccines at work

The CDC released estimates earlier this month on the effectiveness of this year's vaccine, which put overall effectiveness at 45%. The vaccine formula changes yearly depending on the educated guess that the CDC and manufacturers make on which flu virus strains will be circulating.

White said it's not too late in the season to get vaccinated, especially for vulnerable people, such as children younger than 5, pregnant women, the elderly and people with suppressed immune systems.

"That's the best thing that anyone can do, provided you don't have any contraindications to the vaccine," he said.

If you get the flu, a flu shot can shorten the illness and reduce its severity, he said. The vaccine is recommended for people ages 6 months and older.

What to do to prevent flu

To prevent the flu, health officials say people should wash their hands frequently with soap and water, cough or sneeze into their elbow or a tissue, avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth and avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Symptoms of flu can include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue, according to the Ohio Department of Health. Flu vaccination is available at most healthcare providers' offices, local health departments and retail pharmacies.

svolpenhei@gannett.com

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