21 dead from flu in Indiana

This influenza season, health clinic waiting rooms are filling up with more coughing, achy patients earlier than in previous years. The virus has struck about a month and a half before its usual February onset.

The 2012-13 influenza season began in December, with the East Coast being hit the hardest so far. The influenza death toll in Indiana climbed from 10 to 21 this week, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.

But local health agencies say there’s no reason to panic yet.

“Whether we have more deaths or more hospitalizations than typical is yet to be seen,” said Penny Caudill, Monroe County Health Department administrator. “If it’s peaking early and it goes down, then it may be more typical. If it continues and we’re not seeing an early peak, then it may be worse than a normal year.”

Nancy Macklin, IU Health Center director of nursing, said an early flu season is unusual, although not unheard of.

“Quite a few years ago, influenza hit right after Thanksgiving, and that was horrible because so many people were sick for finals week,” she said.

Macklin said this year’s flu season has been mild so far. She said the Health Center saw between 40 and 50 students with influenza or influenza-like symptoms last week.
During past seasons, that number had been as high as several hundred students.
However, she said, conditions can change quickly.

“So far, we have not seen the huge number of ill patients and the serious, very sick people that has been reported in the national media,” she said. “Hopefully we won’t get that. But even the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) is saying it’s too soon to fully know what’s going to happen with this year’s influenza season.”

IU Health Spokeswoman Amanda Roach said the IU Health Bloomington Hospital emergency department is seeing about 20 to 30 patients daily with influenza or influenza-like symptoms.

“This is kind of the earliest flu season in the last four to five years,” Roach said. “Volumes of patients coming in with flu and flu-like symptoms are higher than we typically see.”

Both Caudill and Macklin stressed getting this year’s influenza vaccine. The vaccine protects against the three main types of influenza that are circulating. The vaccine can lessen symptoms and shorten the duration of the disease.

Strains, or types, of the influenza virus can vary between influenza seasons. The strain H3N2 is proving to be the most common and most virulent strain this season. But, Macklin said, this year’s vaccine protects against the strain, making the vaccine “a
good match.”

“It’s still recommended that the best thing to do is to get the influenza vaccine,” Macklin said.

Since hands carry the influenza virus, Macklin recommended frequent hand washing along with other routine advice for staying healthy, noting the difficulty for college students to follow this advice.

“It’s hard not to be stressed out,” she said. “It’s hard to stay away from sick people if they come to class, it’s hard to eat right, it’s hard to get sleep.”

The Indiana State Department of Health release said no vaccine shortages have been reported. However, the vaccine may become more difficult to find due to increased demand. Those interested can check flu.gov to find vaccine administration sites.

For students with influenza symptoms who have seen a medical practitioner, Macklin recommended emailing instructors to call in sick.

“Let’s face it, professors are lied to all the time,” she said. “Let them know the severity and that you are under medical direction to self-isolate to stop the spread of disease.”This influenza season, health clinic waiting rooms are filling up with more coughing, achy patients earlier than in previous years. The virus has struck about a month and a half before its usual February onset.

The 2012-13 influenza season began in December, with the East Coast being hit the hardest so far. The influenza death toll in Indiana climbed from 10 to 21 this week, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.

But local health agencies say there’s no reason to panic yet.

“Whether we have more deaths or more hospitalizations than typical is yet to be seen,” said Penny Caudill, Monroe County Health Department administrator. “If it’s peaking early and it goes down, then it may be more typical. If it continues and we’re not seeing an early peak, then it may be worse than a normal year.”

Nancy Macklin, IU Health Center director of nursing, said an early flu season is unusual, although not unheard of.

“Quite a few years ago, influenza hit right after Thanksgiving, and that was horrible because so many people were sick for finals week,” she said.

Macklin said this year’s flu season has been mild so far. She said the Health Center saw between 40 and 50 students with influenza or influenza-like symptoms last week.
During past seasons, that number had been as high as several hundred students.

However, she said, conditions can change quickly.

“So far, we have not seen the huge number of ill patients and the serious, very sick people that has been reported in the national media,” she said. “Hopefully we won’t get that. But even the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) is saying it’s too soon to fully know what’s going to happen with this year’s influenza season.”

IU Health Spokeswoman Amanda Roach said the IU Health Bloomington Hospital emergency department is seeing about 20 to 30 patients daily with influenza or influenza-like symptoms.

“This is kind of the earliest flu season in the last four to five years,” Roach said. “Volumes of patients coming in with flu and flu-like symptoms are higher than we typically see.”

Both Caudill and Macklin stressed getting this year’s influenza vaccine. The vaccine
protects against the three main types of influenza that are circulating. The vaccine can lessen symptoms and shorten the duration of the disease.

Strains, or types, of the influenza virus can vary between influenza seasons. The strain H3N2 is proving to be the most common and most virulent strain this season. But, Macklin said, this year’s vaccine protects against the strain, making the vaccine “a good match.”

“It’s still recommended that the best thing to do is to get the influenza vaccine,” Macklin said.

Since hands carry the influenza virus, Macklin recommended frequent hand washing along with other routine advice for staying healthy, noting the difficulty for college students to follow this advice.

“It’s hard not to be stressed out,” she said. “It’s hard to stay away from sick people if they come to class, it’s hard to eat right, it’s hard to get sleep.”

The Indiana State Department of Health release said no vaccine shortages have been reported. However, the vaccine may become more difficult to find due to increased demand. Those interested can check flu.gov to find vaccine administration sites.

For students with influenza symptoms who have seen a medical practitioner, Macklin recommended emailing instructors to call in sick.

“Let’s face it, professors are lied to all the time,” she said. “Let them know the severity
and that you are under medical direction to self-isolate to stop the spread of disease.”

- Colleen Sikorski