147 deaths caused by flu in California

Friday, 31 January 2014 14:34   Lake County News reports

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The number of flu deaths caused by influenza this winter season has shown another large increase.

Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health and state health officer, said Friday that the number of confirmed influenza related deaths in the state has increased by 52, to a total of 147 confirmed deaths for the season. Four of the 147 are pediatric deaths.

There are an additional 44 deaths under investigation that have not yet been confirmed, Chapman said.

Officials said no deaths so far have occurred in Lake County.

The 147 confirmed influenza-associated deaths this season have been reported by the following jurisdictions: Alameda (4), Contra Costa (5), El Dorado (1), Fresno (6), Glenn (1), Humboldt (1), Imperial (1), Kern (6), Kings (3), Lassen (1), Long Beach City (3), Los Angeles (17), Madera (2), Marin (2), Mendocino (1), Merced (3), Monterey (2), Nevada (1), Orange (5), Riverside (5), Sacramento (15), San Bernardino (13), San Diego (7), San Francisco (2), San Joaquin (4), San Mateo (4), Santa Barbara (1), Santa Clara (8), Santa Cruz (1), Shasta (1), Siskiyou (3), Solano (1), Sonoma (4), Stanislaus (11), Tulare (1), and Ventura (1).

The total number of deaths reported for the entire 2012-13 influenza season was 106, Chapman's office reported.

Those at highest risk – the elderly, pregnant women, infants, or those with other health conditions – who show flu symptoms should contact their physician immediately in order to get the most effective treatment, Chapman said.

He said symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue.

“This influenza season continues to be a severe one as the increasing number of influenza-related deaths indicates,” said Dr. Chapman. “Once again I urge all Californians to get vaccinated, because it is the best defense against influenza.”

Influenza vaccine remains available and there is no widespread shortage of antivirals for treatment, officials reported.

Lake County Public Health, located at 922 Bevins Court in Lakeport, offers vaccinations for $2 from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays.

For information on local flu vaccinations, call Lake County Public Health at 800-794-9291 or 707-263-1090, or visit the agency online at http://health.co.lake.ca.us/ .

CDPH continues to closely monitor influenza activity statewide and related resources.

More information on influenza and other respiratory disease surveillance reports can be found on the CDPH Web site, www.cdph.ca.gov .











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I have a coworker who was turned away from the ER with flu symptoms on Wednesday, because they were swamped. This morning I took my wife to urgent care with a sore foot, and the waiting room, pharmacy and laboratory waiting room were so packed that it was standing room only in the corridors at all three. I asked a nurse, and she said it's all flu related. I used the opportunity to paint a picture of the same place in a major pandemic, and I hope it sank in and made an impression.

Yep - Kaiser here too. After her appointment, we went over to the hospital on a whim figuring the urgent care facility would be hit hardest ,and there were only a handful of people waiting at the lab and pharmacy. The staff actually looked bored, whereas the urgent care staff were drowning.
My co-worker is with Sharp, though.

Absolutely FluMom - I pointed out to my wife that in a severe pandemic, the hospitals would be the last place to be waiting in line. And it wouldn't be inside - lines would start outside with triage doctors deciding who got treated, and who got sent home to die.