Aussie flu symptoms: FIVE ways to prevent getting deadly viral infection

Influenza typically affects those older than 65 and younger than 5, but also can be harmful to people of any age who have another chronic illness.

The latest Influenza Surveillance Report which was released Friday said flu activity continues to increase across Canada.

Harris said 30 out of the 67 Alabama counties have been hit hard by the flu this year. But that only means the first half of the season has passed.

“Aussie flu“, the H3N2 subtype of influenza A, is a particularly violent strain of flu, with more aggressive symptoms than usual. “There’s lots of flu in lots of places”, said Dan Jernigan, director of CDC’s influenza division. They showed that when a vaccine is considered effective, 1.2 percent of vaccinated people had the flu, while 3.9 percent of unvaccinated people had the flu.

“We are now seeing a mix of flu types, including the A (H3N2) strain that circulated last winter in the United Kingdom and then in Australia”. It about takes two weeks for protection from vaccination to set in, but as I said, we have a lot of flu season to get through still. There have been 24 outbreaks – defined as three or more people falling ill from the flu – in long-term care facilities this season.

Governor Kay Ivey issued a state emergency due to the outbreak on Thursday. “In total, there have been 113 influenza associated hospital admissions since the beginning of this season and over 65% of those patients are aged 65 years and above”, said the report.

Jeff Rains, CEO of Baptist Medical Center East in Montgomery said some hospitals across the state are altering visiting policies to try to slow the spread of the illness, and protect medically vulnerable patients.

Remember, flu is not just a heavy cold.

In a report that was published December 18 by Time, it was reported that the current vaccine may not be as effective for H3N2 because public health officials have to guess which strain of influenza will be the most aggressive in the coming flu season.

The overall hospitalization rate was 22.7 per 100,000 population this week, up from last week’s 13.7, the biggest jump so far this season.

“We are seeing widespread flu activity across the state”, said David Morgan, public information officer for the Southwest Region of the New Mexico Department of Health.

“It’s January, so we’re getting flu cases”, Cornish said.

“It’s a normal influenza virus”.

Symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue. “Stay at home if they have the flu or flu-like symptoms and to avoid contact with others”.

How can a vaccine be 34% effective? University Hospital had 18 patients with flu hospitalized Friday, “which is very high”, spokeswoman Rebecca Sylvester said.

The ADPH urges the general public to follow the “Fight the Flu” actions, including getting a flu vaccine; staying home if you have a fever; washing hands; covering your cough and sneeze; cleaning and disinfecting; learning home care.