Flu Still Spreading Quickly in Summit County

Ohio is in the midst of an “unusually” active influenza season, the Ohio Department of Health reports. 

Summit County Public Health tracks influenza activity by the week. According to the most recent report, which is for the week ending Dec. 29, emergency room visits for constitutional symptoms continued to climb. Emergency room visits for fevers and/or coughs and sore throats decreased a bit, but still made up about 3.5 percent of all visits. 

Hospitals in Summit County reported a 212 percent increase in flu-related admissions—from 17 in the week ending Dec. 22 to 53 in the week ending Dec. 29. Visitation restrictions were put in place at area hospitals on Jan. 3. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu activity continues to climb across the country, and most areas are experiencing high levels of flu or flu-type illness. This season is already approaching what was the peak of moderately severe seasons of the past.

One Ohio child has died from the flu so far this year, the Ohio Department of Health reports. There were no pediatric deaths reported last season. 

For some tips on protecting yourself from the flu from an area doctor—and for where to find flu shots in Cuyahoga Falls—check out this article.