Ga., S.C. hit highest flu level on the U.S. chart

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Georgia and South Carolina are experiencing their worst flu season in more than 15 years, with 38 deaths reported and hospitals under strain as students return to classrooms.

Both states are at the highest charted level of flu activity in the U.S., according to the latest statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health officials say Georgia is in the middle of its most intense winter virus season in more than 15 years, with flu cases climbing rapidly, hospitals under strain and doctors warning the peak is still ahead.

According to the Georgia Department of Public Health, 29 people died from flu-related illness between October and Dec. 27, including seven deaths during Christmas week alone.

The South Carolina Department of Health reported nine flu-related deaths during the final full week of December.

Hospitals across the Peach State are seeing more flu tests come back positive compared to the same time last year. At one point last month, the percentage of positive tests in Georgia increased from 27.7% to 81.3%, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

South Carolina state health data showed 735 flu-related hospitalizations during the week of Dec. 27, along with nearly 12,000 confirmed cases across South Carolina.

Officials warn that cases will probably rise more as people return to work and school after the holiday break, when they may have been exposed to the virus through travel and celebrations.

Nationally, flu activity in the United States has reached the highest levels seen in 25 years.

A new flu strain called subclade K is responsible for the spread.

The variant began to spread after strains were chosen for this year’s flu shot, which means flu vaccines are likely to offer only partial protection against the virus.

Even if you get the flu, the vaccine can help prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death, officials said.

It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies that protect against flu to develop in the body, so now is the time to get a flu shot.

In terms of severity, the number of people hospitalized with the flu is not unusually high, but doctor visits for flu symptoms have not been this high since 1997.

What to know about the flu

Flu symptoms and their severity can vary, but generally include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

Some people are at higher risk of developing serious complications if they get sick. This includes people 65 years and older, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease, pregnant women, and children younger than 5 years, but especially those younger than 2 years old.

In some cases, health care providers may recommend prescription antiviral drugs to treat the flu.

There are other tried and true measures you can take to help prevent the spread of flu:

• Frequent and thorough handwashing with soap and warm water. Alcohol-based gels are the next best thing if you don’t have access to soap and water.
• Cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow or arm to help prevent the spread of the flu.
• Avoid touching your face because the virus can get into the body through the mucus membranes of the nose, mouth and eyes.
• If you are sick, stay home from school or work. Flu sufferers should be free of a fever, without the use of a fever reducer, for at least 24 hours before returning to school or work.
• If you are caring for a sick individual at home, keep them away from common areas of the house and other people as much as possible.

A bad time for outbreak

The flu flare-up comes as parents and school districts in Georgia and South Carolina are taking extra precautions with kids returning to classrooms after a holiday break.

School districts said they’re working closely with health officials to monitor, report, and manage respiratory illnesses and outbreaks.

In addition to working with health officials, school districts are distributing fliers to employees and families with important guidance to help reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses.

If your child becomes sick or starts showing symptoms — such as fever, cough, sore throat or runny nose — health officials recommend that they stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever has resolved.

“Wearing masks, washing hands, good cough etiquette... those are very basic things, but very important, but the flu vaccine is most important still, even if it’s not a perfect match,” said Dr. Supriya Mannepalli, an infectious disease specialist in Georgia.

In South Carolina, pediatric infectious disease specialist Stephen Thacker said:

“Don’t send kids to school sick. We know as we concentrate kids in school and group environments that it’s very easy to share these viruses and create more infections in our community.”