Number of flu cases double in some mid-Missouri counties compared to last flu season
While the Centers for Disease Control is calling this year’s flu season an epidemic, doctors with the CDC said every flu season is normally an epidemic. Although, they said, the number of influenza cases surpassed the epidemic point in November.
Some schools across the country, including one in mid-Missouri, had to cancel classes because there were so many students and staff with confirmed cases of the flu.
Data from some mid-Missouri counties show the number of confirmed flu cases doubled compared to the 2016-17 flu season.
According to the data, Callaway County had 52 confirmed cases of influenza A from Jan. 1 to Jan. 12. In the same time frame last year, Callaway County had 37 confirmed cases of influenza A.
In Randolph County, there were 182 confirmed cases of influenza A from Nov. 26 to Jan 12. From Nov. 27 to Jan. 21 last year, there were 54 confirmed cases of influenza A.
In Montgomery County, there have been 74 confirmed cases of influenza A. Last year’s numbers were not available.
According to Audrain County’s health department, there have been 260 confirmed cases of the flu all together from Oct. 1 to Jan. 12. Officials said the number of cases are up by about 50 percent compared to last year.
Data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services showed there were only a few counties in the state that didn’t have new confirmed cases during the week of Jan. 1.
The CDC said this flu season has or is about to reach its peak for the number of cases, but it will take a couple of months before the flu activity truly slows down.
Even though the season is at its peak, the CDC urges people to get the flu vaccine if they have yet to receive it, especially children age 5 and under and adults age 65 and older.
