Baltimore's Flu Severity Level Among Worst In US: Report

BALTIMORE, MD — The Baltimore region is a national flu hot spot, with one of the most severe levels of influenza in the country, according to a new report analyzing national doctor office data. The Charlotte area and the Minneapolis-St. Paul region are tied for being the worst metro areas in the nation this week when it comes to influenza, said Doctors Report. The findings are based on the website's and mobile app's Illness Tracker that compiles doctor diagnosis data reported during a seven-day period.

The first pediatric death attributed to influenza in the state was reported Tuesday by the Maryland Department of Health. Since mid-to-late December, Maryland health officials said, there has been a "marked increase" in flu activity. People are advised to get the flu vaccine if they have not already and to stay home if they are sick. The first flu death in Maryland was reportedly on Jan. 24. The victim was a 41-year-old Frederick woman.

Influenza, more commonly referred to as "flu," is a respiratory illness caused by viruses infecting the nose, throat and lungs and can be severe and, especially for the young and very weak, be life threatening, according to Doctors Report. Flu-related illnesses that can result include pneumonia, asthma and dehydration.

While flu-related pediatric deaths must be reported, the Maryland Department of Health cannot discuss specifics of individual cases; so it is not public information where the child was from in the state.

Here are the top metro areas in the U.S., with a severity scale, with 10 being the most severe:
1. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, 9.5
2. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, 9.5
3. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA, 9.0
4. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, 9.0
5. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, 8.0
6. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL, 7.5
7. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD, 7.0
8. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, 7.0
9. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, 6.5
10. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA, 6.0
11. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, 5.5
12. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, 5.0
13. Pittsburgh, PA, 5.0
14. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, 4.5

SEE ALSO:

• First Pediatric Flu Death In Maryland Reported
• ER Visits Climb As Flu Spreads Across Maryland
• First Flu Death In Maryland Of 2018 Reported

When it came to Flu A, a different category of influenza, Baltimore fared worse, moving up to No. 3.

Here is Doctors Report's current severity rankings for Flu A:
1. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL, 8.5
2. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, 7.0
3. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, 7.0
4. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI, 6.0
5. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC, 6.0
6. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA, 5.5
7. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI, 4.5
8. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL, 4.5
9. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, 4.0
10. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, 4.0
11. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA, 4.0
12. Pittsburgh, PA, 4.0

The particularly bad season is attributed to infections from a flu strain known as H3N2. It doesn't respond well to vaccinations and is particularly dangerous to young children and older adults over the age of 65.

Here are tips to avoid the flu and curb its spread, provided by the Centers for Disease Control:

• Stay home if you are sick. With the exception of seeking medical care, do not go out until 24 hours after your fever has subsided without the use of medication.
• Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces that may have become contaminated with germs.
• Avoid others who are sick.
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue. Throw away tissues after use.

To treat the flu, use over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or cough syrup to relieve symptoms. Rest in bed and drink lots of fluids. If you contact your doctor within 48 hours of onset of symptoms, you may be able to take an antiviral drug, which will reduce the severity of symptoms and length of the illness.

You can be contagious from one day before and up to seven days after becoming sick.

So far, the 2018 flu season has not reached historic levels, but it is on par with the worst flu season in recent years, the 2014-2015 season. As with any flu virus, the people most at risk are the elderly, children under five, pregnant women and people with chronic diseases.

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Patch Editor Kim Johnson contributed to this report.

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