A look at Maryland flu season after the first eight weeks

Dec. 01--It's eight weeks into the influenza season in Maryland and there have been three adult deaths, but health officials are optimistic that this flu season won't be as severe as last year.

Peak flu season in the state is around February, said Evelyn Mahugu, an epidemiologist and influenza coordinator with the Maryland Department of Health. It's concerning to have deaths early on, but there isn't a reason to suspect 2018 will see a rough flu season like 2017, according to Mahugu.

Usually with bad seasons, there are early peaks. The state hadn't had an influenza outbreak as of Wednesday, she said.

Flu deaths aren't reportable, health department spokeswoman Brittany Fowler said, so three deaths is just an estimate. According to the department's flu information, the intensity of the flu season so far has been minimal and mostly sporadic.

The predominant strains of the flu have been the Type A (H1) and Type B (Victoria) strains, both of which are covered in this year's flu vaccine. People can still get the flu vaccination, Mahugu said.

People should be washing their hands and staying away from sick people, Mahugu said. Those who have symptoms of influenza-like illness or the flu, such as fever, colds or sore throats, should stay home.

And while flu is one of the predominant illnesses this time of year, the health department is also tracking a respiratory virus known as adenovirus. The illness is making news after multiple cases were reported at the University of Maryland, College Park. A student died from the illness.

Nine cases of the illness had been identified as of Tuesday, Fowler said in an email. That investigation is ongoing.

"[T]he Maryland Department of Health is working with the University of Maryland and the Prince George's County Health Department on an investigation into an Adenovirus outbreak," Fowler said in the email.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adenovirus can cause a range of illnesses, from the common cold to more severe ones including pneumonia.

Those with weakened immune systems and pre-existing conditions like cardiac and respiratory diseases are more susceptible to severe adenovirus, according to the CDC.

Another disease that is being tracked by the health department is acute flaccid myelitis, a disease that is marked by paralysis. While the disease is not new -- it has been tracked by the CDC since 2014 -- Maryland, as well as other states, saw an increase in the number of suspected cases.

As of Thursday, Maryland has had seven suspected cases and three confirmed cases of AFM. In 2017, there were four suspected cases and one confirmed case.

All of the cases in Maryland have occurred in children.

Follow Heather Mongilio on Twitter: @HMongilio.

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