NJ Flus Worst Weeks Yet: Whos At Risk? – Westfield, NJ Patch

New Jersey’s flu scare just had its worst weeks this season as health officials warn that the disease has become deadly, claiming its first victim in the state.

New Jersey has seen its “rapid-test” flu cases nearly double since the end of 2018, according to state Department of Health statistics. The state also may have had among its highest numbers of emergency department visits in three years.

“Rapid-test” identifies the form of quick tests that the state uses as part of its weekly survey of the flu’s impact on New Jersey. The state broke down the numbers county-by-county (see numbers below).

New Jersey also remains one of nine states to report having “high” activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state Department of Health.

A dangerous strain that was behind a 2009 pandemic has re-emerged in a big way in New Jersey, according to the state Department of Health.

Some counties, such as Essex, Mercer and Middlesex, have had high numbers of positive rapid flu tests compared to last year based on surveys conducted by the state Department of Health.

The state DOH, meanwhile, has reported that a child has died because of the flu, the first fatality caused by the illness in New Jersey this season, state officials say. “I am deeply saddened for the family of this young child, who experienced an unthinkable loss,” Health Commissioner Shereef Elnahal said earlier this month.

The child, from the central region of the state, died in late December. Citing medical privacy, the department said it will not be releasing additional information.

The statewide flu data, meanwhile, is based on state Department of Health laboratory specimens dating back to the beginning of the season, which officials say was October 2018.

Last year, New Jersey had an especially bad season that was attributed to infections from a flu strain known as H3N2. It responds poorly to vaccinations and is particularly dangerous to young children and older adults over the age of 65.

This year, New Jersey has had a high number of H1N1 virus, otherwise known as the “swine flu.”

H1N1 swine flu isn’t always severe, but when it’s bad, “it’s really bad,” according to WebMD. Patients hospitalized with pandemic flu have an 11 percent fatality rate, data from California suggested in the publication.

Here are the numbers:

• The number of positive rapid flu tests jumped from 439 during the week of Dec. 25, 2018 to 780 during the week of Jan. 1, 2019 and 616 during the week of Jan. 8.
• Last year, the number of positive rapid flu tests during the week of Jan. 10, 2018 was 543.

Here are the New Jersey counties with the most and least affected positive rapid flu tests from the health department’s surveillance, looking at the past three weeks, and compared to last year:

As of Jan. 10, 2018:

As of Dec. 25, 2018:

As of Jan. 1, 2019:

As of Jan. 8, 2019:

Health officials say it’s important for those who have not yet gotten a flu shot—especially health care workers—to get one, state officials say.

The Department of Health also recommends that people take the necessary precautions during this flu season: Wash or disinfect your hands frequently, cover any coughs and sneezes, stay home and call your health care provider if you are sick (especially with a fever).

Residents can find flu vaccination clinics near them by calling their local health department or by visiting https://www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources/flu-finder-widget.html. Local health department contact information can be found on this site: www.localhealth.nj.gov

To learn more about flu, please visit https://nj.gov/health/cd/topics/flu.shtml. Flu Information for Parents can be found on the Department’s website.

Symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, body aches, headaches and fatigue. The flu virus is spread through the air, from coughing and sneezing, or by touching something that someone with the virus has touched.

You can pass the flu to someone else both before and while you are sick. Adults may be able to infect others beginning one day before symptoms develop and as many as five to seven days after becoming ill, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Some people, especially young children and those with weakened immune systems, may be able to infect others for an even longer time.

To treat the flu, use over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or cough syrup to relieve symptoms. Rest in bed and drink lots of fluids. If you contact your doctor within 48 hours of onset of symptoms, you may be able to take an antiviral drug that will reduce the severity of symptoms and the length of illness.

Here are some additional tips:

• Stay home if you are sick.
• Avoid touching your face — your mouth, nose, and eyes.
• Wash your hands frequently.
• Avoid others who are sick.
• Cough and sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue.

(Lead image: A Walgreens employee holds a flu shot in Oakland, California in December 2014. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)