Is the flu season over?

QIs the flu season over? I haven’t read much more about the flu season in the last couple of weeks, but I still see people getting sick. Have more people died? — Trying to Stay Healthy, Brawley

AYes, the flu season is still going said Paula Kriner of the Imperial County Public Health Department. She said following a higher-than-expected surge in influenza cases early this season, influenza activity started to decline in January, but increased again in February. She said the county has seen a decline in influenza A (H3N2) cases and an increase in influenza A (H1N1) and respiratory syncytial virus in recent weeks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expects elevated flu activity to continue for several more weeks. The county Health Department has only state-issued flu vaccines for children ages 6 months to 19 years who are uninsured and have Medi-Cal insurance. “The good news is that there is ample supply in the community,” she said. A list of pharmacies is available at icphd. org

To date in Imperial County, there have been 23 intensive care unit admissions — 35 percent (8) with influenza — in the severe acute respiratory infection project.

Nine flu-associated deaths were identified following a review of death certificates and medical charts. Deaths occurred in December 2017 and January 2018. Only one of the nine fatalities was an individual under 65 years of age; the other eight were elderly.

All had co-morbidities such as hypertension, cardiac disease, and cancer.