'Rough, Unusual' Flu Season Surges In Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Last month, there were about 1,000 people in Riverside County who tested positive for influenza from clinics, urgent care facilities and doctor’s offices — and the cases were unusual, according to a county health official.

Barbara Cole, director of Disease Control for Riverside University Health System-Public Health, said most of the cases were influenza B, which is out of the ordinary since influenza A normally predominates early in the flu season (October through April).

Because of the spike in cases and the unusual pattern in the influenza season, Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County public health officer, is reminding residents there is still time to get their flu shot.

“It’s a rough season and there’s no indication it’s slowing down, so the best way to protect yourself is to get the flu shot,” said Kaiser, who noted vaccination supplies are plentiful. “It takes just a few minutes and can save you a lot of misery.”

So far this flu season there have been four flu-associated deaths in Riverside County, including a child under 5 years of age, and 17 influenza cases under 65 years old that required hospitalization in intensive care units.

In addition to getting a flu shot, Kaiser said there are some safety tips everyone can do to protect themselves and slow the spread of the flu:

— Wash hands frequently

— Cover coughs and sneezes

— Stay home from school and work when sick

For more safety tips and information about the flu, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm