The flu season is in full swing and already around 6.4 million people have fallen ill, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Around 55,000 people have been hospitalized and approximately 3,000 have died – 27 of them being children.
But how much does where you live play a role in how susceptible you might be to contracting the flu?
To determine this, ApartmentGuide.com has compiled a report looking at CDC flu reports since 2013, the average price of a doctor’s visit and the price of a bottle of ibuprofen.
The authors deemed Texas the worst US state for the flu this year based on two grounds: Eight children have died there already this season and, every year since 2013, the virus has remained ‘highly active’ for more weeks than in any other state.
A new report has named the top 10 worst states for contracting the flu, with Texas taking the top spot (file image)
10. NEW MEXICO
According to the report, the dry heat of New Mexico is perfect for the flu virus to spread rapidly.
The so-called Land of Enchantment was one of the first states to be hardest hit during the 2018-19 flu season, CDC data shows.
It has experienced more ‘high’ peak flu level weeks of activity since 2013 than all but five other states has been rated ‘high’ for 17 of the past 18 peak flu season weeks, which is more than any other state.
What’s more, paying a visit to the doctor will cost an average of $118.10 – more than any of the top 10’s mean or median prices for a doctor’s visit.
New Mexico had been rated ‘high’ for 17 of the past 18 peak flu season weeks, more than any other US state
9. NEW JERSEY
Usually, flu levels in New Jersey are ranked ‘moderate’ around this time of year.
But according to data from the state’s Department of Health, officials are reporting high levels of flu activity in all 21 regions.
According to NJTV, the B/Victoria strain is most predominant, infecting 587 of almost 700 cases reported in New Jersey last week, a spike from from 304 as of December 21.
One of the 27 children who have died so far was from the Garden State.
However, prices of a doctor’s visit and a bottle of ibuprofen are moderate at $98.26 and $8.74 respectively, according to Apartment Guide.
New Jersey health officials are reporting high levels of flu activity in all 21 regions
8. ALABAMA
During the 2018-19 season, flu patients filled more than 90 percent of the beds in seven of Alabama’s eight public health districts with hospitals, according to the Montgomery Advertiser.
In some cases, hospitals were full and couldn’t even accept any more patients.
This year appears to be no different. As of December 5, one of every 10 patients visiting the doctor in the state have the flu, reports WAAY-TV.
What’s more, nine percent of the current season’s flu deaths have occurred in Alabama.
Nearly one out of every 10 patients in Louisiana visiting the doctor has the flu
7. LOUISIANA
CDC data shows that Louisiana was the first state to report high levels of flu-like activity this year, beginning in late October.
During the same period, every other state was reporting either low or minimal for flu activity.
Last month, CNN reported that Children’s Hospital New Orleans has seen more than 1,400 cases of influenza since the season started in October.
Around the same time in 2018, it was just nine cases – a 155-fold increase.
While the average cost of a doctor’s visit is $97.50, ApartmentGuide.com states that in New Orleans that visit will cost about $144.17, more than any other city in the top 10 worst states.
Children’s Hospital New Orleans has seen more than 1,400 cases of influenza since October, a 155-fold increase from the same time last year
6. MISSISSIPPI
During the last flu season, the peak struck in mid-February in Mississippi, according to data from the state’s Department of Health
But the 2017-18 flu season peak hit near Christmas, which is much more consistent with previous years.
The authors of the ApartmentGuide.com report say this means the state is vulnerable for an early peak, a late peak or a regular one.
Authors of the report say that Mississippi is prone to a peak early in the flu season, late in the season or in between
5. KANSAS
During the last influenza season, Kansas was named the second most ‘flu-ridden’ state, according to KCUR.
For the week ending January 13, 2018, five percent of the state’s population was sick with the flu, second only to Missouri.
The report notes that Kansas has had 20 weeks of ‘high’ levels of flu activity since 2013, the fourth most of all 50 states.
Additionally, the Sunflower State has reported ‘high’ levels of flu activity every single peak week since the start of the 2016 season, the report states
Kansas was named the second most ‘flu-ridden’ state during the 2018-19 season
4. ARKANSAS
Arkansas has had consistently high rates of flu deaths every season.
More than 100 people died last season and 200 the year before that – which was the worst flu season in two decades, reported 5 News.
This season doesn’t appear to be much different. So far, 13 deaths have occurred with the number only expected to rise
Additionally, the state had an issue with false negatives, meaning patients were being tested for the flu and told they didn’t have it when they actually did.
During the 2017-18 seasons, 200 patients died in Arkansas, which was the worst flu season in the state in two decades
3. CONNECTICUT
Connecticut was the only New England state to make the top 10.
So far, just five people have died, a low number compared to some of the other states in the list.
‘As an affluent state, one of the factors that makes the flu bad at times in Connecticut is the number of people that travel abroad and bring back the flu virus from places where the flu shot and other flu preventative measures are less common than in the US,’ the report’s authors state.
One of the other reasons for its placement is than an average doctor’s visit will cost more than $124, the highest figure on this list.
The average cost of doctor’s visit in Connecticut is more than $124, the highest figure on the top 10 list
2. OKLAHOMA
The Sooner State has had 22 weeks of ‘high’ level flu-activity since 2013, the second most of all states, according to the report.
Last influenza season, at least 78 Oklahomans died and nearly 2,800 were hospitalized, the health department said.
That makes it the longest season for the state in more than a decade, reported KFOR.
Additionally, Hussein Torbati, managing director of Classen Family Urgent Care, told The Norman Transcript that healthcare professions were seeing ‘earlier and significant cases of the flu.’
Last influenza season was the longest season for Oklahoma in more than a decade
1. TEXAS
CDC data shows that out of the 30 peak flu weeks tracked since 2013, Texas had 23 ‘high’ weeks, the most of any state.
Orly one week was rated as ‘low’, the Apartment Guide report says.
New data released by the Texas Department of State Health Services on Tuesday said flu activity in the state is currently at the highest it’s been in 10 years.
Usually flu cases increase across the state after the start of the new year, but the spike began in December in Texas, much earlier than usual.
Additionally, at least eight of the 27 children who’ve died this season lived in the Lone Star State.
Out the 30 peak flu weeks tracked by the CDC 2013, Texas had 23 ‘high’ level weeks, the most of any state