Saturday, January 26, 2013
The brunt of the flu virus may have passed, but other strains of the virus are keeping the number of flu-like illnesses high in Maryland.
The flu strain that has been making many sick in Maryland and around the country may be peaking, but that doesn't mean it's time to cease precautions and skip the flu shot. Other strains could circulate, keeping the flu around for months. Overall, the intensity of flu-like illnesses in Maryland remains high, according to the latest Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene report for the week ending Jan. 19. The influenza virus was geographically widespread according to the last report, meaning there is flu activity throughout different regions, said David Blythe, a medical epidemiologist with the state. While the virus is difficult to predict, he said there is a possibility the flu has peaked and is headed toward a decline. Even …
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Doctors are still urging residents to get a flu shot.
The number of flu cases in Maryland have dropped over the last week, but health officials are still pushing residents to get the flu vaccine, according to a report in The Gazette. The week ending Dec. 29, 10.1 prcent of people visiting doctors were for the flu and the week ending Jan. 5 only 3.5 percent of people visiting doctors were there for the flu, according to a report from the state. Maryland’s flu season might have peaked, but the number of cases remains widespread statewide and health officials are still urging people to be vaccinated, a state epidemiologist said Monday. The numbers are still higher than the past two flu seasons, according to the Gazette report.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Google Flu Trends "uses aggregated Google search data to estimate current flu activity around the world in near real-time," its website stated.
Flu cases appear to be rising still in Maryland, according to Google Flu Trends, which "uses aggregated Google search data to estimate current flu activity around the world in near real-time," the Google Flu Trends website stated. Google Flu Trends data indicates that the number of flu cases in Maryland started rising in mid-November. As of Jan. 11, the flu has reached the "intense" category in Maryland, whereas at this time last year, the number of flu cases was only in the "moderate" range. Earlier this week, Prince George's Hospital in Cheverly, MD reported an uptick in patients suffering from flu-like symptoms. "We've seen an increased amount of patients in the ER with flu-like symptoms," Prince George's Hospital Center spokeswoman …
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Health officials are calling it the worst flu season in a decade.
Prince George's County hospitals are seeing an increase in patients with flu-like symptoms as the number of influenza cases across the state and the country rises and health officials gear up for a flu season that could be the one of the worst in a decade. The amount of cases is putting a strain on county hospitals. "We've seen an increased amount of patients in the ER with flu-like symptoms," Prince George's Hospital Center spokeswoman Erika Murray said. "That impacts the ER with longer waits and reduced beds." The flu is spreading earlier and faster than usual in the Washington, DC region this year, The Washington Post reported, and Maryland is experiencing widespread cases. In Maryland so far this season, 2,362 people have tested …
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Google Flu Trends uses search data to estimate the prevalence of the disease around the world.
Flu cases are on the rise, according to Flu Trends, a Google-run site that uses search data to estimate the prevalence of the disease around the world in real time. The latest figures indicate that flu activity in Maryland is in the high to intense range. At this time last year, the incidence of the virus was considered low to moderate in the state. The story is much the same for the Washington, D.C. area, where flu activity also registers in the high to intense range. In general, the Southeast is seeing the U.S.'s highest levels of flu activity, while the West is seeing lower infection rates. The best places to escape the flu, according to the site: South America, South Africa, and Australia. Or—better yet—consider getting a flu shot. (…
Thursday, November 15, 2012
No appointments are necessary.
The Greenbelt Co-op Pharmacy will offer flu shots from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday in the co-op's second floor meeting room. It's $25 cash or check only; there is no Medicare billing. Bring ID; participants must be at least 18 years old to receive a shot. No appointments are necessary. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) warns that influenza is serious and can lead to hospitalization and sometimes death. Between 1976 and 2007, estimates of flu-associated deaths in the United States range from about 3,000 to 49,000 people; and 90 percent of the deaths happen in the 65 years and older population, CDC says.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Nearly 1,000 people in Maryland die each year as a result of the flu.
At a 50 percent vaccination rate, Maryland surpassed the national average for flu shots last year.
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Friday, September 23, 2011
by ASHLEY M. LATTA Capital News Service As October draws closer, so does the start of flu season. This year, all signs point toward a manageable situation. Still, Maryland health officials are strongly encouraging everyone age 6-months and older to get vaccinated as soon as possible. On Friday, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene kicked off its annual prevention campaign with a free flu clinic at the Baltimore County Health Department. By 10:30 a.m., 250 vaccines had been administered despite the pouring rain The department has monitored global flu activity all year, anticipating what this year's flu season could bring to Marylanders. And health officials like what they're seeing. "We have connections through the CDC, the …
jag
1:27 pm on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
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