THE FOUR UNITYPOINT HOSPITALS IN THE DES MOINES METRO AREA REPORT A TENFOLD INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS TESTING POSITIVE FOR THE FLU IN RECENT WEEKS, WITH MORE THAN 500 CASES CONFIRMED SINCE LATE DECEMBER.
FLU CASES ACROSS THE REGION ARE MULTIPLYING RAPIDLY AS TRANSMISSION RATES ARE HIGH, ACCORDING TO MEGAN MELLER, AN INFECTION PREVENTIONIST AT EMPLIFY HEALTH BY GUNDERSEN.
IAFLU1 OC……..”OTHERWISE EXPECT” :21
SHE SAYS THIS SEASON’S FLU STRAIN IS RESPONDING MUCH LIKE IN PAST YEARS, THOUGH IT IS SPREADING AT A FASTER RATE.
IAFLU2 OC…….. “FLU SEASON” ;19
TYLER BROCK OF SIOUXLAND DISTRICT HEALTH SAYS LOCAL FLU CASE NUMBERS HAVE ALSO BEEN INCREASING, AND WHILE THIS VACCINE ISN’T A “GOOD MATCH” FOR THE FLU STRAIN THIS YEAR, HE SAYS IT’S STILL IMPORTANT TO GET VACCINATED:
IAFLU4 OC…….. “DEFINITELY NOT TOO LATE. :23
BROCK SAYS THE PRIMARY GOAL REMAINS PREVENTION AND KEEPING CASES FROM BECOMING CRITICAL:
IAFLU5 OC……DO DIE FROM INFLUENZAS. :20
ON JANUARY 9, UNITYPOINT SIOUX CITY REPORTED 1888 PEOPLE HAD BEEN TESTED FOR THE FLU IN THE PAST FOUR WEEKS, WITH 389 TESTING POSITIVE.
THAT’S A POSITIVITY RATE OF 20.6%.
UNITYPOINT SAYS ITS EMERGENCY ROOMS IN THE DES MOINES AREA REPORT A TOTAL OF 509 PATIENTS TESTING POSITIVE FOR BOTH INFLUENZA A AND B SINCE DECEMBER 21ST.
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