Missouri

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   Big spike in reported flu cases in Kansas City

Posted: Dec 30, 2013 9:05 AM EST
Updated: Dec 30, 2013

The first big wave of flu season is arriving, and doctors are on alert because the group in which they're seeing a spike in numbers is not the usual at-risk group.

The Centers for Disease Control Prevention says there is a spike in a certain type of flu that hits young and middle-age adults.

Officials say flu viruses are spreading, and the leading strain that's being detected in lab tests is H1N1. That's the same "swine flu" strain that caused a pandemic in 2009.  

Doctors around the region say overall, they are seeing severe cases.

According to the CDC, Missouri is experiencing high flu activity. Last week, 744 new cases were reported. Kansas is seeing moderate activity, but two people have died from severe influenza. 

In the Kansas City area, there were just 28 cases of the flu reported in November. So far, there are 402 cases in December.

It's particularly targeting those between 25 and 49 years old, health officials say. Of the 402 cases, 41 percent are between 25 and 49. Just 6 percent are infants while 12 percent of the cases are the elderly.

"This year, it seems like we are being hit with a flu strain that is really coming on fast and it is spreading really fast," said Jeff Herschberger, spokesman for the Kansas City Health Department. "Our numbers have really skyrocketed.

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Pixie Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: June 05 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 19668	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pixie Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Missouri Posted: December 30 2013 at 6:54pm
	Big spike in reported flu cases in Kansas City Posted: Dec 30, 2013 9:05 AM EST Updated: Dec 30, 2013 The first big wave of flu season is arriving, and doctors are on alert because the group in which they're seeing a spike in numbers is not the usual at-risk group. The Centers for Disease Control Prevention says there is a spike in a certain type of flu that hits young and middle-age adults. Officials say flu viruses are spreading, and the leading strain that's being detected in lab tests is H1N1. That's the same "swine flu" strain that caused a pandemic in 2009. Doctors around the region say overall, they are seeing severe cases. According to the CDC, Missouri is experiencing high flu activity. Last week, 744 new cases were reported. Kansas is seeing moderate activity, but two people have died from severe influenza. In the Kansas City area, there were just 28 cases of the flu reported in November. So far, there are 402 cases in December. It's particularly targeting those between 25 and 49 years old, health officials say. Of the 402 cases, 41 percent are between 25 and 49. Just 6 percent are infants while 12 percent of the cases are the elderly. "This year, it seems like we are being hit with a flu strain that is really coming on fast and it is spreading really fast," said Jeff Herschberger, spokesman for the Kansas City Health Department. "Our numbers have really skyrocketed.

Pixie Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: June 05 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 19668	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pixie Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: January 03 2014 at 2:29pm
	http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/local/health-department-two-who-died-in-boone-county-tested-positive/article_93efc7ba-73dd-11e3-9349-10604b9f1ff4.html Excerpt that caught my eye. 77 flu and pneumonia deaths seems a bit steep in one week. No? According to the most-recent weekly report from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, 1,306 cases of influenza were reported statewide from Dec. 22 to Dec. 28. During the week prior, 77 deaths in Missouri involving pneumonia and influenza were reported. Missouri has seen about 415 percent more flu cases this season than the five-year mean. This article was published in the Thursday, January 2, 2014 edition of the Columbia Daily Tribune with the headline "Health department: Flu virus found in two Boone County deaths."