Dallas Among Ten Worst Metros For Flu Severity

DALLAS, TX — It's no secret the flu has struck the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex with a vengeance this year. With 54 people dead from flu complications in Dallas county alone and septic shock victims facing amputations, the severity of flu cases in Dallas can't be denied.

Data from DoctorsReport.com confirmed what many already knew — North Texas ranked among the top 10 worst metros for flu severity. In fact, it landed in the No. 9 position for overall flu cases and for occurrences of "Flu A," a more sever strain of flu that mostly affects children and adults older than 65.

To date, 54 lives in Dallas county have been claimed by the virus as well. The death toll in Collin County has risen to 10; Tarrant County, 8; and Denton County, 5. More recently, the flu took the life of a 38-year-old Tarrant County teacher. Meanwhile, a Weatherford man faced the amputation of both of his feet and nine of his fingers after complications of the virus.

Locations are ranked on a severity scale, with 10 being the most severe and zero being the least severe.
The top metro areas for severe flu cases are:

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, 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

Influenza A is the strain of flu that is more common this season. This strain is usually associated with more severe illness in young children and adults over the age of 65.

The current severity rankings for "Flu A" are:

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, 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 adult flu vaccine is given in the adult immunization clinic on the first floor at the Dallas County Health and Human Services building located at 2377 N. Stemmons Frwy in Dallas. The children’s vaccine is available at all DCHHS immunization clinics. Clinic hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information call 214-819-2162 or visit www.dallascounty.org/department/hhs/influenza.html.

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