Walworth County is following State of Wisconsin trends and is seeing a significant increase in reported influenza infections and hospitalizations.
There have been 48 flu-related hospitalizations since the beginning of the year, compared to two for the same time period last year. Nearly 30 percent of the hospitalizations this year have occurred in the past week.
“The flu can be especially harmful for children and people over 65, as well as those with other health problems,” Walworth County Health Officer Erica Bergstrom said. “We recommend those who have yet to get a flu shot to get one now, and to follow common sense practices to avoid spreading the virus.”
Practices include frequent handwashing, covering the mouth with an upper sleeve or a tissue when coughing, staying home when sick, getting plenty of rest and good nutrition, and frequently cleaning commonly touched surfaces such as doorknobs, telephones and faucets.
Symptoms of influenza include a high fever that lasts an average of 3 to 4 days, headache, severe aches and pains, exhaustion and cough. Influenza is different and much more severe than the common cold. It is also different than the so-called “stomach flu.”
“Influenza is a respiratory disease,” Bergstrom said, “and while sometimes vomiting, diarrhea, and being sick to your stomach can be related to the flu, those are not the main symptoms of influenza.”
Anyone aged 6 months or older is eligible to receive a flu vaccine, and it is covered by most insurances, Badgercare and Medicare. Contact a health care provider or Walworth County Public Health for more information about receiving a flu vaccine.
