Health & Fitness

'Unusual' Start To Flu Season: Activity In Illinois

The peak of the flu season can come anytime between late December and February.

The flu has already been blamed for more than 1,000 deaths this year, including 10 children.
The flu has already been blamed for more than 1,000 deaths this year, including 10 children. (Shutterstock)

ILLINOIS — The flu season is off to an “unusual” start and government health officials say it has already been blamed for over a thousand deaths, including 10 children. There’s a high chance activity will peak in late December though the worst could come anytime between the end of the year and February, according to flu season forecasts.

So far, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says most illnesses are the result of the influenza B/Victoria viruses, which the agency said is unusual for this time of the year. The next most common virus in circulation is the A/H1N1 and it’s increasing in proportion relative to other viruses in some regions.

The latest data from the agency — current as of the week ending Dec. 6 — shows that the virus is widespread in 23 states. Regional activity was reported in 14 states, including Illinois and Puerto Rico while 12 states described as having local activity. In Alaska and the District of Columbia, flu activity was sporadic.

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So far this flu season, the Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting 46 flu-related intensive care unit admissions. No deaths have been reported.

The geographic spread of flu activity does not measure the severity of the virus.

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The flu can cause serious illness, hospitalization and death. The groups most at risk are older adults, very young children, pregnant women and those with certain chronic medical conditions, according to the CDC.

You can use the CDC’s flu vaccine finder to locate a pharmacy or clinic near you that provides the vaccine:

According to the CDC, symptoms of the flu include:

  • Fever or feeling feverish/chills (though not everyone with flu will have a fever)
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headaches
  • Fatigue (tiredness)
  • Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.


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