Local News

Flu activity up in Florida

Marc Valero | Highlands Today
Published: December 28, 2012

SEBRING - Florida and 28 other states have reported widespread influenza activity in the latest report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), but thus far Highlands County has been officially reporting no flu activity.

Influenza and influenza-like illness activity is increasing in all regions of Florida, according to the CDC.

Bonnie Jones of Avon Park came down with the flu Christmas Eve and is still fighting it, and now her husband has it.

She tried going to work, but spent most of 45 minutes on the job in the bathroom, Jones said.

"I got dehydrated real badly; I was in the hospital," she said. She was given an antibiotic to fight a kidney infection.

Last week her sister had the flu, Jones said. She said they all got sick despite getting flu shots.

Highlands County Health Department spokesman Tom Moran said that since October there have been a few cases of Health Department patients with flu-like symptoms, but no confirmed cases of the flu.

DeSoto and Glades counties are among the 16 Florida counties that are reporting moderate flu activity. The other counties reporting moderate activity are: Broward, Dixie, Escambia, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Leon, Levy, Martin, Okaloosa, Orange, Seminole, St. Lucie and Wakulla.

Influenza B is the most common flu type detected in Florida thus far this flu season while the rest of the country is seeing mostly influenza A H3N2, according to the Florida Department of Heath (FDOH).

The National Institutes of Health reports influenza B symptoms include: fever, body aches, fatigue, vomiting, nausea and loss of appetite.

Moran said the seasonal flu is a mixture of all the flu strains of the past.

One of the strains he was worried about was the H5N1 avian influenza because if it mutates into a form that can spread from person to person it can become pandemic like the swine flu, he said. But there have been no reports of avian flu in Florida.

The best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccination, Moran notes. He also recommends washing your hands frequently and staying away from people who are coughing or sneezing.

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine each year.

Most healthy adults can infect others one day before symptoms develop and five to seven days after symptoms appear, the CDC notes. Some people, especially young children and people with weakened immune systems, might be contagious for a longer period.

Symptoms of the H3N2 infection are similar to those of seasonal flu viruses and can include fever and respiratory symptoms, such as cough and runny nose and possibly other symptoms, such as body aches, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

mvalero@highlandstoday.com (863) 386-5826