Cold sweat trickled down the back of medical technology sophomore Mike Hresko and ushered in an excruciating bout of the influenza. “There’s no way I would’ve made it to class,” said Hresko, who contracted the flu earlier this month and suffered through a fever, aches and chills. “I didn’t feel like eating or doing homework. I didn’t feel like doing anything.”
After a relatively light start to the flu season, Hresko and several others in the Lansing area have fallen victim to a mid-January surge in flu cases — and the season might peak for another two weeks, said Marcus Cheatham, assistant deputy health officer for the Ingham County Health Department.
Robin Roach, director of infection control and prevention for Sparrow Health System, said the recent rise in flu cases has made this season stick out.
“We’ve seen far more flu cases this year than last year,” Roach said. “In terms of this part of the state, we’ve seen a significant increase since the end of January.”
Roach said the first week of February produced 15 positive reports for influenza — the highest weekly total at Lansing’s Sparrow Hospital this year.
However, the flu has been much more serious in the elderly, Cheatham said, because of a higher mortality rate from flu-related symptoms nationwide.
“I don’t mean to alarm people, but it really is an epidemic,” he said.
Cheatham added that the percentage of people checking into emergency rooms suffering from influenza across the country has risen to 6 percent, as opposed to the average 3 percent.
One strain of influenza has grown somewhat resistant to the flu vaccine, and seems to be accounting for a good portion of flu cases, Roach said.
“There was a good match for one dominant strain, but not the other,” she said.
At Ohio’s Miami University, physicians have seen more than 500 patients suffering from flu-like symptoms since the university returned from winter break Jan. 14.
“In our case, the flu spread quickly,” said Tammy Gustin, director of clinical services at Miami University Student Health Services.
Gustin said about 20 percent of cases weren’t covered by the flu vaccine, but she’d “still take the 80 percent chance” of receiving the shot.
In spite of increased numbers elsewhere, Kathi Braunlich, communications and planning coordinator at Olin Health Center, said Olin’s 64 positive cases this season should be on track to reaching last year’s total of 78 cases.
She said 75 percent of the cases have taken place since the week of Jan. 20.
“When it’s cold and people are staying inside the residence halls, the flu tends to spread more easily,” Braunlich said.
Olin reported 18 positive cases the week of Jan. 27, and nine last week.
“The flu is spread by virus, and what it needs to do is get in contact with the eyes, nose or mouth,” Braunlich said.
She said caffeine and alcohol intake can dehydrate the body and lower immunity to the flu.
“Getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet and trying to deal with stress are also helpful,” Braunlich said.
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Gustin said flu treatments such as Tamiflu can be effective in stopping the replication of the virus if taken in the first 24 hours.
Cheatham said last year was a mild flu season, and in the opening months of October and November, it looked as though this season would follow suit.
Roach said 2004 was the worst season in recent years, resulting in several pediatric deaths.
The flu season typically lasts through March, Cheatham said, and he expects to continue seeing cases until then.
“I wouldn’t predict that it’s coming down,” Cheatham said. “I’d say it’ll follow a usual flu season.”
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