CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

Health Officials: 2nd Flu Wave Hitting The U.S.

The Greeneville Sun - 4/4/2018

The flu season may be winding down, but public health officials advise against letting your guard down just yet.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting that a second round of the flu is still causing problems. The latest report shows that patients are still being treated for influenza B more than influenza A.

What's more, this latest strain impacts small children more severely.

While the CDC notes overall cases of the flu are dropping, cases of influenza B are on the rise. That strain affects small children more severely than influenza A, according to officials.

During the weekend ending March 17, the CDC reported that nearly 58 percent of all laboratory-confirmed cases of flu were caused by B-strain viruses, according to a CDC report.

Circulating strains this season, which began in October, were a mix of A viruses (H3N2 and H1N1) and B viruses, the report added.

Though the H3N2 strain generally leads to more severe illness and hospitalizations than B strains, these B strains tend to be more severe for younger children, CDC officials said in a news release.

"We often see a wave of influenza B during seasons when influenza A H3N2 was the predominant virus earlier in the season. Unfortunately, we don't know what the influenza B wave will look like," said CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund in the release.

The CDC recommends flu shots for those who have not gotten vaccinated while strains continue to circulate. It is possible for people who've been sick with one strain of the flu to get a different strain in the same season.

The CDC has reported five additional flu-related pediatric deaths during the 11th week of the year. In the 2017-18 season, 133 children have died.

One of the biggest ways to prevent getting the flu is by practicing good hygiene, staying home if sick and getting the flu shot.

Officials said it's still not too late to get the flu shot and encouraged preventive measures such as consistent hand washing, cleaning surface areas and avoiding hand contact to the face, eyes, nose and mouth when out in public.

If you're feeling sick, CDC officials urge that you limit physical contact with small children and the elderly.