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Flu makes an early showing across state

Tampa Bay isn’t seeing as many cases as North and South Florida, though.

By JUSTIN GEORGE
Published December 11, 2006

In Florida, the height of the flu season normally hits after the first of the year, but current reports show an unusual amount of early flu activity in the state this year.

Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi are seeing more flu activity than other states, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 Health officials can’t estimate how many Floridians have the flu, but they say the number of influenza cases in the state puts it in a category known as “regional,” which falls in between local and widespread flu cases.

Regional means more than one region of the state is reporting more flulike cases than usual.

“Compared to previous years, it’s a little more activity than we’ve seen in the past at this time of year,” said Florida Department of Health spokesman Fernando Senra.

Still it’s no reason to panic, stressed health officials. There are no outbreaks, and the number of cases reported remains low overall, said Beata Casanas, medical director for the Hillsborough County Health Department.

Flu or flulike illnesses are responsible for 2 percent of all doctor’s visits in most states right now. In Florida, they account for 4 percent, according to a state flu survey last week.

Typically, flu season in Florida runs from late December through February.

No one knows why the flu has arrived sooner than usual, but it is hitting mostly the northern and southern parts of the state, said Jeannine Mallory, spokeswoman for the Pinellas County Health Department.

The Tampa Bay area isn’t seeing the same activity; Hillsborough County reported only two confirmed cases this week. But it could just be a matter of time.

“We’re just one step from joining the rest of the state,” Mallory said.

The earlier activity doesn’t necessarily mean Tampa Bay is in store for a major flu epidemic this year. The state health department and the CDC tally flu cases weekly, based on doctors’ reports, and the number of cases could decrease as easily as increase from here on out, health officials said.

They continued to call for residents to get vaccinated against the flu.

As many as 120-million flu shots were made available nationwide this year, the most ever, Senra said, and there’s plenty left at doctors’ offices and at health departments.

The vaccinations usually take about two weeks to take effect.

Someone getting a shot now would be protected  well before February, which is typically Florida’s worst flu period.

Justin George can be reached at (813) 226-3368 or jgeorge@sptimes.com.

[Last modified December 11, 2006, 22:07:23]