Flu widespread in West Virginia; health officials expect rough season

Many West Virginians were sick during the Christmas holiday with the flu and state health officials predict its going to be a rough flu season in the Mountain State.

West Virginia Influenza Coordinator Shannon McBee, with the state Bureau of Public Health, said Tuesday there is widespread flu activity in the state, the earliest it’s been this bad in five years.

“The percentage of flu cases has risen from 1.7 to 6.4 percent (in the past week). And these are levels that we saw during the 2009 Pandemic, so it’s going to be a rough flu season unfortunately,” McBee said.

The Bureau of Public Health surveys 70 doctors weekly to gather the number of patients that have been seen for the flu. McBee said there was a major spike during the past week. She said the flu usually doesn’t begin until January in West Virginia.

West Virginia was one of 22 states to report widespread activity from the past week to the Centers for Disease Control.

McBee said there a few things residents should do to keep from getting the flu.

“Make sure you are washing your hands everyday, covering your cough and sneezes and if you do become sick it’s really important that you stay home, that you don’t send kids to school and you stay at home from work that day,” she said.

Flu symptoms include cold chills, body aches, fever, cough and/or a sore throat