Flu In California A Bigger Threat Than Coronavirus

LOS ANGELES, CA — California has confirmed six cases of coronavirus — the most nationwide —and endured a measles outbreak in Los Angeles this week, but it's influenza that residents need to be worried about, according to health experts. During the week ending February first, 55 Californians died from the flu. The state has had 87 flu outbreaks and nine pediatric deaths since the flu season began in late September.

To make matters worse, the influenza A virus this month surpassed the influenza B virus as the most dominant strain, meaning people can get the flu twice this season. The good news is that this year's flu vaccine is particularly effective against influenza A, and there is still time to get vaccinated.

Nationwide, flu activity also ramped up. Influenza-related illnesses this week climbed to nearly 22 million cases, and while the coronavirus threat is serious — more than 30,000 cases have been reported in China, where the virus originated — the odds of catching it in the United States are almost zero, according to Healthline.

With only 12 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S., the odds are the flu is a much more serious risk to your health.

“So far this season in the U.S. (there’s been) a mortality rate from flu-like illnesses and pneumonia of around 7 percent,” Dr. Charles Bailey, an infectious disease specialist with St. Joseph Hospital in Irvine, California, told Healthline. “Clearly, if there’s no panic concerning the current flu season — which is a fairly normal one — panic over (the) domestic 2019 coronavirus situation doesn’t seem justified at present.”

So far this season, 12,000 people in the U.S. have died due to flu-related illnesses and complications, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nationally, according to the CDC’s influenza report for the week ending Feb 1, the percentage of virus specimens testing positive for influenza increased from 28.4 percent for the week ending Jan. 25 to 29.8 percent this week. In California it was 32 percent, reflecting a more intense series of outbreaks.

This week, cases tested positive for Influenza A at 54 percent compared to Influenza B, which comprised 46 percent of cases nationwide. This is a notable change, as B strains dominated the first several weeks.

The CDC estimates that, so far this season, there have been at least 22 million illnesses, 210,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 deaths from the flu.

For comparison, the CDC reported a total of 19 million illnesses, 180,000 hospitalizations and 10,000 deaths in its weekly report ending Jan. 25.

Typically, the groups most at risk of the flu are older adults, very young children, pregnant women and those with certain chronic medical conditions.

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
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

The flu is a highly contagious illness, which is why the CDC urges everyone to take the following steps to protect themselves and others:

• Take time to get a flu shot: While there are many different flu viruses, a flu vaccine protects against the viruses that research suggests will be most common. The CDC says it’s not too late to get this year’s vaccine.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
• If you are sick with flu symptoms, you should stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs such as the flu.
• Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them.