Unwelcome Early Arrival of the Flu

This is the time for festive gatherings and social events. Lots of preparation goes into many of these events. Oftentimes the last minute details can really add to the atmosphere. One thing you don't want to happen is for guests to arrive really early (greater than 20 minutes early). The early arrivers often feel neglected if you continue to prepare and if you entertain the early guests then those last minute things don't get done.

The annual flu epidemic usually begins in January and burns itself out by the end of February. Unfortunately, this year the unwelcome early arrival of the flu has caused some real problems here in the Northern Hemisphere. Influenza viruses cause the flu, also called influenza. Flu symptoms include sudden onset of high fever, runny nose, feeling tired, muscle aches and pains, sore throat and a nonproductive cough. Most people recover within two weeks without any need to see a physician. However, the very young, the elderly and people suffering from medical conditions such as lung diseases, diabetes, cancer, kidney or heart problems, influenza can cause very severe disease.

There are many different influenza viruses. They can be placed into three major types (A, B and C). Influenza C virus causes a very mild disease and does not cause epidemics. Influenza viruses A and B cause the most disease and routinely infect large numbers of people every year. Influenza virus A causes the most severe disease. Both A and B viruses change over time. This change can be slow in both A and B viruses or can occur rapidly in the A viruses. When rapid changes in the A virus occur many people get the flu and it is usually very severe. This happens about every decade.

Not only is the Flu season early but it is also much more severe when compared with the past few years of flu epidemics. The most common influenza virus in this year's epidemic is a type of A virus that usually causes more severe illness. Twenty-four state health departments reported widespread influenza activity (flu in at least half of the regions in a state), 15 states and New York City reported regional activity (flu in at least two but less than half of the regions in a state), 6 states reported local influenza activity (Outbreaks of influenza or increases in flu-like illness and recent laboratory-confirmed influenza in a single region of the state.), and 5 states and Guam reported sporadic influenza activity (Small numbers of laboratory-confirmed influenza cases or a single influenza outbreak has been reported, but there is no increase in cases of flu-like illness.). Click

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