FIGHTING THE FLU
Critical cases reported
At least three patients in Windsor have experienced such serious effects from the flu they had to be transported in critical condition to hospitals in Michigan in recent weeks, according to officials from Windsor Regional Hospital. There have been no known flurelated local deaths, according to the hospital’s physicians, but the strains hitting people this year appear to be more severe than recent years — although the overall numbers are down, according to Dr. Anil Dahr, a respirologist at the hospital.
“There has essentially been less number of cases admitted to hospital — largely as a result of vaccinations,” he said following the hospital’s board of directors meeting on Thursday. “But there has been an increase of cases in the critical care area.”
As always, those most vulnerable to serious illness from the flu virus have been the elderly, young children or those who did not get their flu shot, Dahr said. “The vaccination is taking care of the majority of patients (in contact with the virus), but it has been virulent for many healthy persons resulting in serious respiratory issues or pneumonia,” he said. The signs for those who should seek immediate hospital care when suffering from the flu virus are “significant respiratory distress, shortness of breath or difficulty catching your breath,” Dahr said.
The most prevalent strain being found so far this flu season has been H1N1 — also known as the swine flu, said hospital CEO David Musyj. He strongly encouraged anyone who has not yet received a flu shot to do so, noting the season will likely stretch into late March or April. It takes about 10 days for full protection after a person receives the vaccination.
“The vaccination if you get it is providing full protection from the current (H1N1) strain,” Musyj said. “The bottom line is that it’s only January so there is still time to get the flu shot.”
Another strain of the flu virus being found to date in significant numbers has been H3N2, or influenza A, which has mostly causing serious problems for the older population, Musyj said. Body aches, fever and headaches are more commonly found with that flu virus.
This year’s flu vaccination offers some protection from H3N2 virus, “but depending on which strain you get (of that virus) you might still get very sick,” Musyj said.