Maine Seeing Early Season Spike in Flu Cases

In the final days of preparations leading up to the Christmas Holiday, I talked to a lot of people who had been dealing with some kind of illness.  And, between in-person conversations and interactions on social media, I talked to even more people who had family members who were dealing with some kind of nasty bug.

Since no one has time to deal with being sick during the holidays I tried to stay as far away from people as possible and used a gallon of hand sanitizer.  Okay, maybe not a gallon, but I used A LOT!

Yeah, there is definitely an early season spike in flu cases in Maine.  This is not based on talking to people, either.  There is actual data showing that we are dealing with a spike.

According to an article on the KJ website, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported 864 cases of influenza during the week ending December 20th. That is more than double the 320 cases reported the week before.  Hospitalizations jumped too, rising from 27 to 69 in that same time frame.

Doctors say this season was expected to be rough, and so far it has lived up to that warning.  Portland pediatrician and infectious disease expert Dr. Laura Blaisdell says it has been a particularly tough start.

Flu season runs from October through May, and cases can peak at different points. In Maine, the worst stretches usually land in January and February. During the most severe weeks, the state can see thousands of cases reported in a single week.

This year, cases are spiking earlier than usual.  The strain driving much of the illness is Influenza A H3N2, which is known to cause more severe symptoms.  For comparison, during the same reporting week last year, Maine recorded 124 flu cases and just 10 hospitalizations.

MaineHealth officials say they are seeing the impact firsthand.  Dr. Dora Anne Mills, the system’s chief health improvement officer, says primary care offices across the network are already treating a large number of flu patients.

Not surprising, the state is also seeing a spike in COVI-19 cases.

Check out the current national map of flu infection reports HERE

To avoid getting the flu, healthcare providers suggest washing your hands, avoiding touching your face, staying away from sick people, and getting a flu shot.