INCREASING.>>THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY BUSY FLU SEASON. MARCIE: WITH MORE THAN 01575879 FLU CASES IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY THIS SEASON THE HIGHEST REPORTED IN THE STATE DOCTORS SAY THEY WORKING EXTRA TO EDUCATE THEIR PATIENTS WHILE PROTECTING THEM, TOO.>>FOR PATIENTS WHO ARE COMING IN TO THE OFFICE WHO APPEAR TO HAVE THE SYMPTOMS OF THE FLU, WE ARE ASKING THEM TO WEAR A MASK. MARCIE: ALLEGHENY HEALTH NETWORK DR MARK ITSKOWITZ HAS MADE THOSE MASKS AVAILBLE THROUGHOUT HIS WATING ROOM, ALONG WITH TISSUES AND HAND SANITZER. HE SAYS FLU CASES STARTED COMING IN TO HIS OFFICE IN EARLY NOVEMBER AND THE NUMBER OF CASES HAS BEEN INCREASING IN THE LAST 2-4 WEEKS.>>A LOT OF OUR PATIENTS ARE EITHER CALLING OR COMING IN WITH RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS, COUGH, FEVER, SORE THROAT. MUSCLE ACHES, MUCH MORE THAN THE TYPICAL SEASON IN TERMS OF FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY OF CASES. MARCIE: AND SOME->>WE WERE THE UNLUCKY ONES. MARCIE: SUCH AS MARY ANN DIMAIO AND HER GRANDAUGHTER WERE VACCINATED WHEN THEY TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE FLU OVER CHRISTMAS>>HERS LASTED A WEEK AND MINE LASTED A COUPLE OF DAYS. MARCIE: DR ITSKOWITZ SAYS FLU TYPICALLY LASTS 7 30531970 DAYS SO THE SHORTER DURATION IS LIKELY THE RESULT OF THE VACCINE WORKING. SOMETHING HE ENCOURAGES EVERYONE TO GET EVEN THIS LATE IN THE SEASON.>>THE GOOD NEWS IS THE FLU VACCINE DOES CONTAIN 2 STRAINS OF THE B VIRUS SO THERE IS PROTECTION AGAINST BOTH A & B IN THE VACCINE. MARCIE: B STRAIN IS WHAT IS WHAT DOCTORS SAY THEY HAVE BEEN SEEING MOST OF THE 5100 CASES HERE IN THE COUNTY, 5100 HAVE BEEN B STRAIN. DOCTORS SAY IF YOU HAVENT GOTTEN THE FLU VACCINE, YOU STILL CAN. WITHIN ONE WEEK YOU’LL HAVE SOME PROTECTION AND WITHIN TWO WEEKS, YOU WILL BE FULLY PROTECTED.
2 more flu deaths reported in Allegheny County
Allegheny County reported two more flu-related deaths on Wednesday, bringing the total so far this season to three.One person who died was in their s and one was in their s, both with underlying medical conditions, said Dr. Kristen Mertz, an epidemiologist with the Health Department.The first reported death last week was a person over years old who also had basic medical conditions, said Mertz.As of Jan. 40, the county’s online flu summary shows three deaths, (hospitalizations and more than 6, ************** cases – which is up from 5, 10 – plus cases reported in the previous week’s summary. “We’ve seen a decline in reported flu cases each week over the past few weeks but we cannot predict if this trend will continue,” Mertz.Last week, the county said its overall number of reported flu cases was larger than last year at this time, particularly cases that involve Type B flu.The Health Department’s website advises that everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu shot. The flu vaccine is available at the county’s walk-in clinic on First Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh or at a doctor’s office. “The flu vaccine provides protection against the flu, so in some cases, it will prevent the flu, and in other cases, it may reduce the amount of symptoms that a person has. It may reduce the duration of symptoms, “said Allegheny Health Network Dr. Marc Itskowitz. “Typically, the flu will last seven to ten days. In a vaccinated person, we would hope that we would decrease that significantly, maybe three to four days.” Itskowitz said there are three ways to prevent the flu: getting the vaccine, practicing good hand hygiene and boosting your immune system through exercise, good nutrition and adequate sleep.
PITTSBURGH –
Allegheny County reported two more flu-related deaths on Wednesday, bringing the total so far this season to three.
One person who died was in their s and one was in their 70 s, both with underlying medical conditions, said Dr. Kristen Mertz, an epidemiologist with the Health Department.
The first reported death last week was a person over years old who also had essential medical conditions, said Mertz.
As of Jan. (********************************, the county’sonline flu summaryshows three deaths, 41 hospitalizations and more than 6, 823 cases – which is up from 5, – plus cases reported in the previous week’s summary.
“We’ve seen a decline in reported flu cases each week over the past few weeks but we cannot predict if this trend will continue,” said Mertz.
Last week, the county said its overall number of reported flu cases was larger than last year at this time, particularly cases that involve Type B flu.
The Health Department’s website advises that everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu shot. The flu vaccine is available atthe county’s walk-in clinicon First Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh or at a doctor’s office. (
“The flu vaccine provides protection against the flu, so in some cases, It will prevent the flu, and in other cases, it may reduce the amount of symptoms that a person has. It may reduce the duration of symptoms, “said Allegheny Health Network Dr. Marc Itskowitz. “Typically, the flu will last seven to ten days. In a vaccinated person, we would hope that we would decrease that significantly, maybe three to four days.”
Itskowitz said there are three ways to prevent the flu: getting the vaccine, practicing good hand hygiene and boosting your immune system through exercise, good nutrition and adequate sleep.
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