Alaska News

Number of Alaska flu cases spikes early in season, health officials say

The hacking cough. The sneezing. The sore throat. If you're among the people who are trying to fend off these and other symptoms, you're not alone.

The flu has made its way into more Alaska households than usual for the start of the holiday season.

The 405 cases already identified so far this month are "by far the highest number of confirmed flu cases we've seen in November in the past four years," Dr. Michael Cooper, program manager for the state's infectious disease program, said in a statement released Tuesday.

What's not yet known is whether this is an early peak to the flu season or a very high low point in a season that could prove to be one of the worst in recent years.

The numbers also represent only the known cases -- those confirmed by a doctor's visit and a lab test. Since many people never seek medical care, there's no way to know with certainty how widespread the illness really is.

In three of the last four years, fewer than 100 cases of flu were documented in Alaska in November. In 2012, just more than 300 cases were documented in November. That year the season peaked in December with about 450 cases. Last year the season also peaked in December with about 550 cases. In 2010-11, the season peaked in February with about 850 cases.

"We anticipate influenza activity will continue to increase in the weeks ahead," said Donna Fearey, a nurse epidemiologist with the state Division of Public Health who recommends a good offense as the best defense against the influenza virus. Get vaccinated. Wash your hands. Cover your coughs. Stay home if you're sick. Keep children home until they've been fever-free for at least 24 hours.

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On its influenza webpage, the state points out that besides causing fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue, the flu "at times can lead to death."

How severe flu cases are this year is difficult to gauge, as medical providers are not required to notify the state about flu-related hospitalizations, Fearey said. Lab tests confirming the illness are forwarded to the state for tracking but how sick individuals get is not a part of the surveillance system. Only if the patient died would the state be notified. No deaths have been reported this year.

Last year, five flu-related deaths were reported to the state, according to a summary of the 2013-14 flu season published by the health department, which began collecting data on flu deaths in late December 2013.

How the flu will continue to affect Alaskans this season is difficult to predict, because the virus is itself unpredictable, Fearey said. But she and Cooper expect case numbers to continue to rise.

Winter in Alaska is when the flu and similar respiratory illnesses tend to thrive and spread, especially over the holidays when people travel and socialize more, Cooper said.

Jill Burke

Jill Burke is a former writer and columnist for Alaska Dispatch News.

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