flu

Influenza Still Increasing in AZ

By |2017-02-10T09:50:45-07:00January 25th, 2013|General|

Yesterday afternoon's weekly flu report shows that influenza is still circulating widely in AZ...  with a steep increase in the last couple of weeks.  The strain that’s circulating is mostly Type A - H3N2 which can be more severe than the 2009 H1N1, especially for seniors. There are plenty of B strains going around too.  But you can still find [...]

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Influenza Going Gangbusters in US and AZ

By |2017-02-10T09:50:47-07:00January 10th, 2013|General, Licensing, Prevention|

During the 2009- 2010 influenza pandemic, we saw how influenza can be unpredictable in terms of who it affects most, when it occurs, and what strains will circulate. This season is no exception. While the circulating strains are exactly what we predicted, the peak of the flu season is hitting earlier than usual (now) and it's [...]

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New Flu Application Released by CDC

By |2013-01-07T12:32:15-07:00January 7th, 2013|Preparedness|

The CDC released a free application last month that allows users to access current influenza recommendations and influenza activity updates. You can click here to download. You'll be able to check our where we are relative to the rest of the country and view the new methods of analysis presented on the new site.  On our flu [...]

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RSV on the Upswing in AZ

By |2012-12-12T08:27:20-07:00December 12th, 2012|Preparedness, Prevention|

We're off to an early start with the flu and RSV season this year with more cases reported in November than in previous seasons. Respiratory syncytial virus (or RSV) is a respiratory virus that mainly affects little kids and circulates during the winter. There’s no vaccine for RSV- but for those babies that are at highest [...]

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Flu Down Under- 2012

By |2017-02-10T09:51:02-07:00August 24th, 2012|Preparedness|

The Southern Hemisphere has its flu season during our Summer- so every year around now we watch influenza activity “down under” to get an idea of what we might expect for our upcoming flu season.   Here’s the scoop right now.  Flu south of the equator has already peaked and continues to decline.  There’s been a [...]

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H7N3

By |2017-02-10T09:51:07-07:00June 29th, 2012|Preparedness, Prevention|

Remember the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic?  That brand new virus that caused the pandemic was a combination of RNA from four different flu viruses – North American swine influenza, North American avian influenza, human influenza, and swine influenza virus typically found in Asia and Europe.  The natural laboratories for new influenza viruses that end up causing pandemics [...]

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AZ Child Dies from Flu

By |2012-05-20T16:08:34-07:00May 18th, 2012|General|

Most people think that when the weather warms up, we can stop worrying about the flu.  But it’s still here.  Recently, a young Gila County child died from influenza.  It's the only pediatric death from flu in Arizona this year, last year 5 children under 18 died.  Adult flu deaths are not tracked by the [...]

Influenza Wave Coming Ashore

By |2012-03-09T09:33:59-07:00March 9th, 2012|Preparedness, Prevention|

It took longer than usual- but Influenza is finally circulating in AZ- and we’ve moved to the “Regional” flu category now (Regional is sort of the middle of the scale).  The circulating strains in AZ (confirmed by our lab) are covered by this year’s vaccine- mostly our old friend the 2009 H1N1 virus and the familiar H3N2 [...]

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Our Unwelcome Winter Visitor Returns

By |2017-02-10T09:51:24-07:00December 16th, 2011|Preparedness, Prevention|

Just in time for the holidays, we’re got our first lab confirmed case of influenza – actually two cases.  Influenza has probably been in the state for a while now, but we don’t officially start counting the cases until there is a case confirmed at our lab.  The vaccine was approved this summer and fights 3 [...]

RSV Ramping Up in AZ

By |2011-11-28T08:23:19-07:00November 28th, 2011|General|

Respiratory syncytial virus (or RSV) is a respiratory virus that mainly affects little kids- and circulates around this time of year. There’s no vaccine- but clinicians can give a preventive antibody treatment to folks at greatest risk (e.g. premature infants).   It spreads mostly in the winter (like influenza) but flu and RSV don’t usually peak at [...]

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