January 6, 2014
Reuters (1/4, Lopes) reported that on Friday, the CDC said widespread influenza activity is being reported by nearly half of the United States, with most cases being attributed to the H1N1 virus. Dr. Joe Bresee, chief of Epidemiology and Prevention in the CDC’s Influenza Division, commented, “We are seeing a big uptick in disease in the past couple of weeks. The virus is all around the United States right now.”
ABC World News (1/3, story 6, 1:15, Sawyer) on Friday reported that “the flu is now hitting hard and spreading fast.” NBC Nightly News (1/3, story 4, 2:25, Williams) also reported this story in its Friday broadcast.
The AP (1/6) reports from Portland, Oregon that the state “is seeing a spike in flu hospitalizations and other signs that this year’s flu season may be more aggressive than the last few years.” Oregon Health Authority spokesman Jonathan Modie urged, “It’s not too late to get vaccinated. That’s the big message.”
The Glens Falls (NY) Post-Star (1/6, Donnelly) reports that “the New York State Department of Health reported confirmed cases of influenza in 52 counties plus New York City for the week that ended Dec. 28, the most recent data available.”
The Brainerd (MN) Daily Dispatch (1/6) reports that “as of the last week of 2013, the Minnesota Department of Health reported 71 influenza-related hospitalizations for a total of 189 since the flu season began.”
The Daily (AL) Home (1/6, McLain) reports that according to the Alabama Department of Public Health, there has been “an extensive geographic spread of the highly contagious virus for the third week in a row,” while “activity is also high in Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.”
Also reporting on how the flu is impacting their respective states are the Natchez (MS) Democrat (1/6), the Baltimore Sun (1/3, Wells), and the Detroit Free Press (1/3, Erb).
Article courtesy American Medical Association
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