Six flu-related deaths reported in Missouri and Kansas. Is the season peaking early?
Three people in Missouri and three in Kansas have died because of the flu in a season that federal health officials warn could peak earlier than normal.
Among those, the flu contributed to a death in Johnson County, according to the county’s health department.
Nationwide, more than 1.7 million cases of the flu and more than 900 flu-related deaths have been recorded since the beginning of the season on Oct. 1, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More than 1,500 cases have been reported in Missouri, three resulting in death, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said on Monday — while reminding people to get a flu shot.
None of the deaths were in Kansas City or Jackson County, according to the city and county health departments.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported three deaths in the state this season.
Last season, 92 deaths in Missouri and 96 in Kansas were linked to the illness.
The flu has hit the South especially hard early in the season, but the CDC says cases have picked up in a dozen states. Missouri and Kansas are not among them, according to the CDC.
Kansas is among 16 states where flu cases are minimal; Missouri’s season is moderate so far, the CDC says.
“There’s not a predictable trend as far as if it’s early it’s going to be more severe, or later, less severe,” Scott Epperson, who tracks flu-like illnesses for the CDC, told The Associated Press.
The particular virus making people sick in most parts of the country right now is more harmful to children and people younger than 50 than for senior citizens, federal health officials say.
“For those who haven’t already been vaccinated, it is important to know that it’s not too late,” Randall Williams, director of Missouri’s health department, said in a statement on Monday.
“We are approaching the peak of flu season, so now is still a great time to protect yourself and others around you by being vaccinated.”
How to avoid the flu
To avoid the flu and keep it from spreading, health officials say:
▪ Stay away from sick people. And if you’re the one who’s sick, stay home and limit interaction with others as much as possible.
“You can pass on the infection before you feel sick,” says the National Institutes of Health website. “You are contagious for several days after you get sick. You can catch the flu when someone near you coughs or sneezes. Or, if you touch something the virus is on, like Ellen and Jack’s phone or doorknob, and then touch your nose or mouth, you could catch the flu. The flu virus can live on a surface like a book or doorknob for a number of hours. “
▪ Wash your hands, often, with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
▪ Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw it away. The flu can be spread through tiny droplets that fly from person to person when you cough, sneeze or talk.
▪ Don’t touch your eyes, nose and mouth.
This story was originally published December 9, 2019 at 4:19 PM.
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