State: 2012-13 Flu Season Already Looking Worse Than Last Year
City-Times Staff
The number of Wisconsinites hospitalized by the flu is now up to 33 – seven more than what state officials reported on Monday. At least four Wisconsin residents have died from the virus, as the nation continues its deadliest start to the flu season since the late 1970’s.
Health officials encourage everyone to get immunized, especially pregnant women. State epidemiologist Tom Haupt said four pregnant women were hospitalized after they failed to get flu shots. That compares to nine for all of last winter.
Last year’s outbreak was fairly mild, and Haupt says we might be headed to a more severe flu season this time around.
A previously seen influenza A H3N2 strain – the dominant strain so far this flu season – appeared to be a good match for the current vaccine, said Paul Biedrzycki, director of disease control and environmental health for the Milwaukee Health Department.
“However, you can’t rule out a possible mutation in the flu virus,” Biedrzycki said Monday. “Flu viruses change unexpectedly and arbitrarily.”
During the last two to three flu seasons, no flu-related hospitalizations were reported before January, said Tom Haupt, the epidemiologist at the Wisconsin Division of Public Health in charge of influenza surveillance.