Daily BrewWhat the flu!? This winter has been exceptionally harsh
Look at the person to the left of you. Now, turn and face the person to the right. Congratulations, there is a 100 per cent chance you just caught the flu.
OK, the odds that you just got sick aren’t that high, but chances are pretty good that you have recently battled a cough, runny nose and headache, or some of the more foul symptoms common this year.
This has been a particularly terrible flu season across North America, with the virus reaching epidemic proportions in the United States, according to Reuters, and even declared a public health emergency in Boston.
Numbers released by the U.S. Center for Disease Control show the flu has become widespread in 47 states, up from last week, with half of those considered "high activity."
"The percentage of visits to healthcare providers last week for flu-like illness, 4.3 percent, is comparable to that during the 2007-2008 flu season, which was characterized as 'moderately severe' but which peaked some two months later. During the 2009 H1N1 'swine' flu pandemic, 7.7 percent of visits were for flu-like illness."
Things haven't been much better in Canada, where hospitals in every province have been hit with a high dose of flu-like symptoms.
The Canadian Press reports the spread has been so bad that an antiviral shortage could be in the cards. Emergency departments have reported heavy traffic, some even cancelling surgeries due to the rise in flu admissions. It’s just the worst.
Take a look at this trends map from Google, which uses search terms to estimate the level of flu in various areas. High or intense flu activity from coast to coast — leaps and bounds higher than the last few years.
Alright, so it is bad. Worse than usual. And there is a reason why, which our friends at Live Science have helpfully outlined.
By all accounts, flu season hit early this year. The wave of flu reports usually doesn’t land until January or February. This winter, the flu was tracking across Canada and the U.S. by mid-December.
No only that, but this year’s dominant strain is also more severe than in recent years. There are always a few influenza strains making the rounds. But this year’s big daddy is influenza A (H3N2), which is responsible for a higher number of hospitalizations and deaths, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control.
Those two factors have combined to make things seem rather grim. Things could be looking up, but you shouldn’t bet the house on that just yet.
For now, just keep your head down. And maybe consider a flu shot, for crying out loud.
