Flu death toll surges to six in Arkansas as officials warn the US is in for a severe, early season
- 6 people in Arkansas have died of the flu, twice as many as did last time this year
- All the deaths are in people aged 45 and older, with no pediatric deaths reported
- Influenza B is responsible for four of the six death this year
- The CDC said on Monday that the 2019-20 flu season is off to the fastest start in more than a decade
Two more people have died of the flu in Arkansas, bringing the state’s influenza death toll up to six.
All of the victims were at least 45 years old or older, according to the Arkansas Department of Health’s (ADH) weekly report.
That’s twice as many people that had died of the flu this time last year, reported the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Last season, 120 deaths in the state were attributed to the flu. The season generally runs from October through May.
It comes on the heels of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warning earlier this week that the 2019-20 flu season is off to the fastest start in more than a decade and is likely to be severe.
Six people have died of the flu so far this season in Arkansas, twice as many as this time last year. Health officials are warning that the best defense is to get the shot (file image)
Last season, the flu caused between 37.4 million and 42.9 million illnesses and between 36,400 and 61,200 deaths, according to preliminary data from the CDC.
The agency says there is already significant flu activity in 24 states across the US, up from 15 at this time last year.
This mean that this year’s flu season is starting earlier than it has in 10 years and is circulating quickly.
‘Last year marked the longest flu season in a decade, and now we are seeing this year’s flu season off to an alarmingly fast start,’ said Rep Diana DeGette (D-CO), who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations panel in a press release.
‘With this illness now spreading rapidly across the county, we want to know what our agencies are doing to protect the public’s health.’
In Arkansas, since late September, there have been nearly 1,900 positive flu tests, according to the ADH report.
More than 200 of those tests were reported alone the week ending on Saturday, November 30.
Health officials say influenza B is more common this season than influenza A.
Jennifer Dillaha, the Health Department’s medical director for immunizations and outbreak response, said four of the six deaths this year involved type-B influenza.
Doctors are stressing to the public that the best way to protect yourself and your family is to get a flu shot.
The CDC recommends getting the vaccine either in the form of a shot or a nasal spray. For those who choose to go with the injectable, there are two options.
The first is a trivalent vaccine, which protects against two influenza A strains, H1N1 and H3N2, and one influenza B strain.
The second option, the quadrivalent flu vaccine, protects against the same strains as the trivalent vaccine, as well as an extra influenza B virus.
The nasal spray, FluMist, uses live, weakened viruses which are meant to teach the body to recognize and ward off flu strains if you become infected.
The only group of people who are ineligible for the vaccine – shot and spray – are babies under six months old.
Doctors say taking preventative measures is just as important as getting the vaccine such as washing your hands, not touching your face, coughing into your elbow or a tissue and staying home if you are ill.