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U.S. NEWS Saturday 13 January 2018
American Living:

Has flu season, in full swing, reached its height?

the world. Preliminary esti- crept up last week to push
mates suggested the vac- flu to an epidemic level.
cine barely worked there, Flu reaches that threshold
and the U.S. was again most winters, even during
facing the same H3N2 virus seasons that are not con-
with the same flu shot. sidered particularly bad.
That virus caused one of Hospitalizations of the el-
the worst U.S. flu seasons derly are climbing. So far
in recent years, 2014-15, they’re not shooting up
when the vaccine was a quite like they did in 2014-
poor match. It was back 2015, but health officials
last winter but the vaccine are watching the numbers
was a better fit. closely. The CDC estimates
Health officials say this there are tens of thousands
year’s shot targets the of deaths each year from
strains that are making flu and pneumonia.
Americans sick, primarily One suburban San Diego
H3N2. How well it is working case shows how serious
won’t be known until next the flu can be. Jennifer Bur-
month but it’s expected to rough and her family didn’t
be better than the 10 per- get flu shots this year after
Ana Martinez, a medical assistant at the Sea Mar Community Health Center, gives a patient a flu
shot, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018 in Seattle. According to an update by the Centers for Disease Control cent Australia reported. hearing reports that sug-
and Prevention released Friday, Jan. 12, 2018, flu is now widespread in every state except Hawaii, The report out Friday shows gested it might not work
but the good news is the flu season appears to be peaking. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) flu and pneumonia deaths very well this season.q

By MIKE STOBBE start and cases surged over
AP Medical Writer the holidays. Patients who
NEW YORK (AP) — Flu is went to the ER at Palomar
now widespread in every Medical Center Escon-
state except Hawaii, but dido, north of San Diego,
the good news is the sea- then had to wait as long
son appears to already be as nine hours. The hospital
peaking. this week took down a tent
It’s been a rough few it used to handle the over-
weeks: Hospitals have set flow but is still seeing a lot of
up tents to handle patient patients with fevers, aches,
overflow. Doctors are put- chills and other flu symp-
ting in double and triple toms. “We’re having to
shifts. Ambulances have treat people in hallways, in
been sidelined while para- chairs, wherever we have
medics waited to drop off space,” said Michelle Gun-
patients. nett, the director of emer-
“This morning, I couldn’t gency services. There’s a
stand up. I was really tent in place at Kaweah
weak,” said Margaret Sha- Delta Medical Center in
fer, who went to a Seattle the Central California city
emergency room this week of Visalia, where doctors
after a bout with the flu was this week have been pull-
followed by pneumonia. ing double and triple shifts
But an update out Friday to keep up.
from the Centers for Dis- “It’s like a MASH unit,” said
ease Control and Preven- Dr. Ed Hirsch, the hospital’s
tion shows patient traffic for chief medical officer.
flu is no longer skyrocketing In Chicago, paramedics
the way it was in Decem- have been forced to wait
ber. at ERs with patients for as
“It looks like it’s starting to long as two hours for an
level out,” said the CDC’s open spot. That means the
Lynnette Brammer, who ambulances can’t be used
oversees flu tracking. for other calls, said Larry
Still, flu is unpredictable. Langford, a spokesman for
“I don’t know where it will the city’s fire department.
end up,” she added. What had some people
Many flu seasons don’t re- worried about this U.S. flu
ally get going until around season was the bad season
Christmas, and don’t cre- last year in Australia. That
scendo until February. country was hit hard by a
That’s how last year’s flu flu bug that’s notorious for
season played out. This causing severe illness, and
season got off to an early flu viruses spread around