CHARLESTON, W.Va. — So far, this year’s flu season in West Virginia is shaping up to be one of the best in recent years in terms of numbers of confirmed cases.
“Overall, the season is extremely mild which is great news for us all,” said Shannon McBee, epidemiologist with the Bureau for Public Health in the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
“The predominant strain that we’re currently seeing circulating here in West Virginia is the H1N1 strain which a lot of us have been vaccinated against over the years since the (2009-2010) pandemic.”
This season stands in stark contrast to last year’s flu season which was one of the most severe in several years with a peak in early February.
The H3N2 strain was the main identified strain for 2017-2018.
West Virginia is one of just a few states currently reporting regional flu activity, according to the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Activity’s a little elevated, but nothing in comparison to what we saw last year,” McBee said.
A total of 45 other states were included in the CDC’s “widespread” flu category in data released last week.
Updated numbers will be out later this week.
Nationwide, 24 flu deaths have been confirmed this season which McBee called “extremely low.” None of those deaths have been in West Virginia.
As of Tuesday, McBee said it looked like the current flu season in West Virginia peaked during the last week in December, though a spike in numbers of flu cases could not be ruled out for March.
“We have been known to have increases in activity towards the spring months,” McBee said.
Common symptoms of flu — which can range from mild to severe — include fever, chills, tiredness, body aches, sore throat and headache. Not everyone with the flu will have a fever.
The flu usually comes on suddenly.
“It is not too late to get a flu shot,” McBee said. “It’s your best protection to prevent the flu or, if you do get the flu, it reduces the severity and length that you are sick with the influenza virus.”
Recommendations for other flu preventative measures include the use of antiviral medications as prescribed, frequent handwashing, coughing into tissues or elbows and staying home when sick.