Flu Activity In WA Minimal But Increasing, CDC Warns

OLYMPIA, WA - At least 13 children have died as nearly half the country is experiencing widespread flu activity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in its latest update.

The latest numbers provided by the CDC are current as of Dec. 29 for the 2018-19 flu season.

According to the CDC, widespread flu activity was reported in 24 states, though not so much in Pacific Northwest where flu activity is currently measured low to minimal in Oregon and Washington, respectively. States where the flu is not widespread reported regional, local or sporadic flu activity. The geographic spread of flu activity does not measure the severity of the virus.

The CDC’s influenza-like-illness (ILI) surveillance program measures the level of flu activity within a state. According to the latest ILI data, 19 states have high flu activity. However, the ILI surveillance does not measure geographic spread so the CDC cautions that outbreaks in a single city could cause a state to have high flu activity.

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And click here to see an interactive influenza-like-illness activity map with links to state health departments

The flu can cause serious illness, hospitalization and death. The groups most at risk are older adults, very young children, pregnant women and those with certain chronic medical conditions, according to the CDC.

Five people have died from influenza-related illnesses in Washington this season, according to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, and 26 people have been hospitalized for influenza-related illnesses since Sept. 22, with some current patients listed as "critically ill."

The A(H1N1) viruses have predominated in most parts of the country, but the A(H3N2) viruses have predominated in the southeastern U.S. The CDC says it is too soon to assess how severe this flu season will be, but since the H1N1 virus emerged in 2009 it has been associated with significant illness and severe illness among young children.

While the length of a flu season can vary, the average flu season over the last five years has lasted 16 weeks. When the current flu season began on Dec. 15, 2018, the CDC said it expected elevated flu activity to continue for weeks and advised that it’s not too late to get vaccinated.

The CDC says that during most seasons, about 80 percent of children who die are not vaccinated. The agency cited a study that says the vaccine reduces the risk of death among healthy children by 65 percent and among children with a high-risk condition by 50 percent.

It takes about two weeks for the vaccine to provide protection against the flu. You can find more information about the flu vaccine and its benefits here.

You can use the CDC’s flu vaccine finder to locate a pharmacy or clinic near you that provides the vaccine:

According to the CDC, symptoms of the flu include:

• Fever or feeling feverish/chills (Though not everyone with flu will have a fever)
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

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