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Flu season arrives early, and with a vengeance

By Rose Hooper
While the Y2K bug may have arrived with little to sneeze about, a forceful bug that's making everybody take notice is the flu bug.

Throughout Western North Carolina, hospitals, health departments and clinics are operating under a flu alert. An alert does not mean an epidemic, cautioned Sharon Higgins, RN, director of infection control for WestCare Health System.

In December, there were 1,419 visits to the emergency room at Harris Regional Hospital with 13 diagnosed as the flu. Nine people have been admitted to HRH with an influenza diagnosis, Higgins said.

The flu season has arrived earlier this year and with a vengeance not seen in years past. Generally flu season, which lasts about 10 weeks, doesn't hit until late January or early February. Health officials are calling the strain currently circulating, type A/Sydney, as "particularly nasty."

"This is a busy time for us," said hospital administrator Lee Isley. "We're also seeing patients admitted with respiratory problems, pneumonia, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in addition to the flu and ordinary colds."

Isley said when folks "crank up their wood stoves, that dry heat can lead to respiratory aggravation."

"While we are seeing a lot of patients, we're not seeing anything abnormal for this time of the year," Isely said. "Of all those we've seen in the emergency room, only cultures for 5 percent tested positive for influenza."

While the hospital is full at this time, there are still beds for patients, Isley stressed. WestCare officials are also stressing that those who are sick, with the flu or flu-like symptoms, should avoid visiting hospitalized friends and family.

"Hospitalized patients usually have a weakened immune system, and if exposed to someone with these symptoms, they become more susceptible to contracting the cold or flu virus," Higgins said. Posters making this request have been placed at various places throughout the WestCare facilities.

The flu bug has also bitten into the American Red Cross blood supply. "While we were already short with the holidays, now we are in dire need," said local Red Cross volunteer Barbara Smith.

The flu outbreak has kept many people home and caused some donations of blood to be destroyed. If donors who recently donated have come down with the flu, those supplies had to be discarded.

The next local blood drive is Jan. 25 and 26 at Western Carolina University. "All types are needed," Smith said.

This year the Jackson County Health Department gave more flu shots than ever before - 2,200 to be exact.

Back to Archive: 01/13/00.