Pittsburgh-Area Flu Cases Skyrocketing

PITTSBURGH, PA — The flu season is in full swing in Western Pennsylvania, with Allegheny County reporting the highest number of influenza cases in Pennsylvania by far.

According to the latest statistics from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, there have been 1,241 confirmed flu cases thus far. That's more than 500 cases than Philadelphia, which had the second-highest number of flu cases with 718.

Not any other of the state's 67 counties topped 500. York had the third-highest total with 498, Westmoreland in Western Pennsylvania had 458 and Montgomery had 457.

Outlying Western Pennsylvania counties had relatively modest flu case counts:

• Washington: 242.

• Butler: 231.

• Fayette: 197

• Beaver: 155

According to the health department, influenza case counts are increasing, as are the percentage of of emergency room visits resulting in a flu diagnosis. Overall, there have been 10 influenza-associated deaths thus far across the state.

Allegheny County's numbers for the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, aren't nearly as bad as its flu numbers. RSV typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms but infants and older adults are susceptible to developing severe RSV and require hospitalization.

Allegheny County's 832 cases thus far rank behind Philadelphia (2,283), Lehigh (1,031), Luzerne (949), Berks (884) and Montgomery (844) counties.

In Western Pennsylvania, Beaver had 137 RSV cases, Washington 123, Butler 101 and Fayette 69.