Health Officials Worried As Flu Spreads Early Across NorCal

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Influenza season has started early in the Golden State, causing early-season flu deaths compared to previous years and worrying local health officials as hospital beds quickly fill, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Though uncommon, CDPH officials said it is not unprecedented to see deaths occur during the fall. However, hospitalizations and deaths typically happen during winter months. To date, there have been two flu-coded deaths in the 2022-2023 season.

"While it is still too early to know exactly what this year’s flu season will look like in California, there are indications that flu activity might start earlier than usual this year," the CDPH reported. "It is likely that seasonal influenza (flu) viruses, COVID-19 virus and other viruses that cause respiratory infections will circulate this fall and winter."

The 2022-2023 flu season coincides with spikes in respiratory syncytial virus or RSV, and COVID-19 cases, which has health officials across the country warning of a possible "tripledemic." Local hospitals are experiencing an uncharacteristically high rate of hospitalizations this season, straining capacity as more patients wait for beds.

Dr. Christopher Vlasses at the UC San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland told the Los Angeles Times the hospital's acute care unit was filled to capacity every day last week with patients, primarily babies, waiting for beds.

Flu cases at Northern California Kaiser Facilities have seen a slight rise of 0.2 percent in flu hospitalizations in the week ending Oct. 15 compared to none the previous week. While the flu doesn't seem to be as prominent in the area compared to Southern California, officials still stress the importance of getting vaccinated to prevent the spread of the virus due to detections of the flu trending up in the state.

The good news is that the strains in this year's flu vaccine closely match the strains that seem to be active and were detected in the country this fall, according to the CDPH.

So far, Influenza A (H3N2) is the predominant virus circulating this season the CDPH said. This strain can cause serious illness in people of any age but is especially likely to affect older adults, according to early data collected by the CDPH.

"Getting vaccinated against the flu is the best way to prevent serious illness and reduce the spread to others," CDPH said. "Persons who are at high risk for severe influenza and COVID-19 should consult their health care providers regarding information on testing and potential treatments."

Nationally, federal health officials reported this season's flu cases are higher in the U.S. than they've been at this time of year in more than a decade.

Influenza, RSV and COVID-19 tend to peak seasonally, and The three illnesses have similar symptoms. The three illnesses have similar symptoms.

According to the CDC, flu symptoms 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
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

There are no inoculations against RSV as there are for both the flu and COVID-19, but a couple of pharmaceutical companies are working to develop vaccines.

The CDPH said if someone is unsure whether they have the flu, RSV or COVID-19 they should:

• Get rest and stay hydrated as well as take over-the-counter medicines to help feel better.
• Stay in touch with a doctor and call before getting medical care. People should get care if they are having trouble breathing, have emergency warning signs or believe it is an emergency.
• Reduce the spread of disease by staying home if possible, wearing a mask, washing hands frequently and taking other steps to prevent spreading the disease to others.

More information about this year's flu can be found on the CDPH webpage.