influenza

/Tag:influenza

Flu Still Widespread in Arizona

By | February 29th, 2016|Preparedness|

The news is true… Arizona continues to top the country in reports of influenza-like illness for the fourth week in a row. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that Arizona has more people sick with flu than anywhere else in the country (not all flu cases get reported to public health departments), it does mean that [...]

Comments Off on Flu Still Widespread in Arizona

Influenza Activity Reaches Widespread Status

By | February 11th, 2016|Preparedness|

This week's flu report shows our influenza activity in the state has reached a "widespread" classification. More than 3,700 cases of flu have been reported throughout Arizona, with 51 percent of those in Maricopa County. There have been 3,710 lab-confirmed influenza cases reported for the 2015-2016 influenza season in Arizona. Cases have been reported in all 15 counties, with [...]

Comments Off on Influenza Activity Reaches Widespread Status

I Was Sick Today, So Will I be Infectious Tomorrow?

By | January 19th, 2016|General, Preparedness, Prevention|

It’s bad enough to be sick, but worse is the thought of passing your illness to someone else. Have you ever wondered when you’re contagious and when you’re not? Some diseases can keep people infectious for a while. For example, people with pertussis (whooping cough) can be contagious for two weeks. People with infectious tuberculosis [...]

Comments Off on I Was Sick Today, So Will I be Infectious Tomorrow?

Study: Flu Vaccine Cuts Kids Trips to ICU

By | May 21st, 2014|General|

Influenza vaccine reduces a child's risk of flu-related intensive care hospitalization by 74% according to a CDC study published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. This is the first study that estimates vaccine effectiveness against flu admissions to pediatric intensive care units.

Comments Off on Study: Flu Vaccine Cuts Kids Trips to ICU

2014-2015 Influenza Vaccine Recommendation

By | March 20th, 2014|Preparedness|

Every year the World Health Organization holds a meeting with worldwide experts to make recommendations for the next season’s Northern Hemisphere flu vaccine. It seems strange to plan for next season when we’re still in the midst of the current flu season, but the vaccine-making process still takes about 6 months. Influenza season generally ramps [...]

Comments Off on 2014-2015 Influenza Vaccine Recommendation

Influenza Still Widespread in AZ

By | February 21st, 2014|Prevention|

A report out by the CDC this week found that people between 18 and 64 years old make up 61% of all flu-related hospitalizations so far this season in the US.   In normal years only about 35% of flu hospitalizations are from this age group. H1N1 (the flu strain we saw circulating in the 2009 flu pandemic) is still the [...]

Influenza is Widespread in Arizona

By | January 24th, 2014|General|

Influenza has been steadily spreading in Arizona over the last few weeks and this week we hit the Widespread Influenza threshold.  In fact, the number of cases increased by 50% this week- and several Arizona emergency departments are backed up with substantial wait times.  CDC’s report is due to come out Friday… but I’d guess that most states will [...]

Comments Off on Influenza is Widespread in Arizona

AZ Disease Detective Software Overhaul

By | January 14th, 2014|Preparedness|

Our statewide disease detectives (whose job it is to slow the spread of communicable diseases) need real-time electronic surveillance in order to get the job done.  Our I.T. folks and the people in Public Health Preparedness have been working on an upgraded system to help them for the last several months- and our new Medical Electronic [...]

Sochi Public Health Tips

By | January 13th, 2014|Preparedness, Prevention|

I know that some of you out there are going to attend  the Winter Olympics - so I put together the blog post below over the weekend for folks that might be going.  Here goes in case you’re interested: Let’s start with the good news first- then the health tips…  Sochi Games to be Smoke Free- Russians [...]

Influenza Season Officially Arrives

By | January 3rd, 2014|Preparedness|

Flu season is here!  Parts of the country (mostly in the south) have had more intense flu activity in the last few weeks, and 25 states reported widespread flu activity for the week ending December 28th.   Meanwhile, in Arizona we are seeing an increase in the number of lab-confirmed flu cases reported to ADHS- but [...]

Comments Off on Influenza Season Officially Arrives