Schools, hospitals cope with unusually strong flu season

March 01--The flu and other illnesses have been running rampant in the four-county region, causing frequent school absences and prompting an area hospital to limit admissions, officials said Tuesday.

One local county has had more cases of influenza this year than it had in all of last year, according to a health official.

Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown is temporarily halting any psychiatric admissions in an effort to help curb the spread of influenza, according to a Tuesday announcement from the hospital.

There are two confirmed cases of the flu and one suspected case among 11 patients at Bassett's inpatient psychiatry unit, officials said in the release. The limitation is effective immediately.

In addition, the facility said all visitors are required to wear a mask. Anyone feeling ill cannot visit, and employees who work on the unit and are experiencing a fever or other symptoms of illness should not come to work until they have recovered.

Dr. Charles Hyman, chief of medicine at Bassett Medical Center, said an outbreak of influenza in a closed psychiatry unit "poses a unique set of challenges different from the acute care setting in a hospital."

"Our decision to close the unit to new admissions limits the possibility of infecting new patients with a condition that could complicate their care," Hyman said. As recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prophylaxis (Tamiflu) has been ordered for inpatients who are able to receive it and offered to employees who work on the unit.

Heidi Bond, Otsego County's public health director, said the county has had 179 laboratory-confirmed cases of the flu so far. Last year, there were 123 cases during the entire season.

"I'm not Emphasissure if more providers are testing for it or if there is more illness circulating," Bond said. "But one thing is for sure, the vaccine is a good match and is still the best way to protect oneself."

Nicole Blanchard, epidemiologist with Delaware County Public Health, said her office has seen "a spike of influenza-like illness" that has left area residents very sick.

"There is quite a bit of illness going on in the community right now," Blanchard said. "That includes a rough stomach bug. It's hard to say if it's related, and it seems to be sporadic throughout the county."

There have been 141 laboratory-confirmed cases of the flu in Delaware County, according to Blanchard. This is not higher than last year, she said.

However, the flu has presented itself "slightly differently" this year, Blanchard said.

"In small pockets, it's giving individuals a rash," she said. "People think it's the mumps or some other illness but it's not. Influenza is really good at mutating itself. And the season is shifting a little bit, as well. It geared up a bit later than usual, in mid-December."

Blanchard also said it's fortunate that the vaccine is "a really good match" for this year's flu strain, so "those who are vaccinated are protected."

And, she said, it's never too late to get a flu vaccine.

This is the ninth consecutive week that "geographically widespread" influenza activity has been reported in New York, according to the state Department of Health. There was one influenza-associated pediatric death reported this week, according to online data.

Influenza causes more than 40,000 fatalities a year, according to the CDC. Aside from vaccination, frequent hand-washing with soap and water is an important preventive measure.

In addition, anyone sick with the flu should stay home from work or school to prevent spreading the illness to others, CDC officials advise.

Oneonta City School District Superintendent Joseph Yelich said the city's schools have "definitely been impacted" by illness recently.

"We have been dealing with the seasonal bugs, whether they're upper respiratory, sinus or intestinal," Yelich said Tuesday. "Last week's winter break couldn't have come at a better time. People were away from each other for a week, so I think it gave everyone a chance to heal up a bit. But this is only the second day back, so we'll have to see."

Jessica Reynolds can be reached at jreynolds@thedailystar.com or (607)432-1000 ext. 221. Follow her on Twitter at @DS_JessicaR

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