Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an agency in the United States Department of Health and Human Services
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released information regarding widespread occurrences of the flu late last week. According to the CDC, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, New York and Virginia all have a great numbers of reported flu cases.
Just two weeks earlier, the CDC was yet to receive any reported cases from across the nation. Details of the cases indicate the strain is the normal seasonal type influenza. Officials are not expecting to see many affected by the H1N1 strain during this season, according to Associate Professor of clinical medicine at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Dr. Keith Roach.
The report also provided insight to the different strains of the virus circulating; about 120 different virus samples were tested. The tests indicated they were well-matched with the vaccines created for this season.
The CDC recommends that everyone over the age of six months receive the flu vaccination. Health officials warned that approximately 23,000 people die each year from flu related complications. The flu vaccination greatly reduces the likelihood of getting the flu. The fall season is when most start to receive vaccinations before the start of the flu season.
Dr. Roach advised anyone who thinks they may have contracted the flu virus to visit their doctor as soon as possible. If the flu is treated early, the length of the illness can be shortened with antiviral medication. Symptoms of the flu are similar to that of the common cold, sneezing, coughing and body aches.
Roach said, “I’m in clinic right now and about two out of every three patients I’m seeing have upper respiratory infections,” and although it could not be the flu, a diagnosis should be determined by a physician.