SALEM, Ohio (WKBN) – New knowledge exhibits that Ohio residents are feeling a bit beneath the climate and the state is is certainly one of 5 the CDC has placed on excessive alert with a big quantity of flu circumstances.
Wash your palms and canopy your cough. You hear it again and again throughout chilly and flu season.However this yr’s gentle winter could have folks letting their guard down.
“With the spring climate we’ve had these days, I’ve had folks are available and say, ‘Dr. Sevilla, I’ve my typical sinus an infection and sinus stress, however it is a little totally different. I’m having a fever and a few physique aches.’ And that’s a crimson flag to me,’” mentioned Dr. Sevilla with Household Observe of Salem.
That crimson flag may very well be signaling one thing worse. Ohio is certainly one of 5 states rating “very excessive” within the variety of influenza circumstances, main the nation within the fee of flu circumstances.
“The secret’s physique aches. When folks get physique aches, I all the time fear about COVID and flu. Sadly, folks type of ignore that, they usually go to highschool, work, and it helps unfold it round to different folks,” Sevilla mentioned.
The surge in circumstances has even pressured native colleges like Matthews Native College District to cancel lessons for Currie Elementary College on Friday, citing a excessive variety of sick college students..
College officers say they monitor attendance charges and if the absence fee approaches 30%, they contemplate canceling lessons.
“We’ve seen loads of children miss loads of college. We’ve had loads of adults miss loads of work,” Sevilla mentioned.
The flu could cause a cough, sore throat, fatigue, complications and a fever, however it may possibly additionally set off a extra critical sickness like pneumonia.
Widespread practices like hand washing are nonetheless one of the simplest ways to beat back any illness, and docs say it’s nonetheless not too late to get a flu shot, particularly for those who’re younger or have an present medical situation.
“These are the higher-risk teams. These are the folks what I fear about getting sick, getting sick quicker, getting extra critical sickness,” Sevilla mentioned.