Local expert: Rough flu season has not hit its peak

Jan. 25--Area doctors don't expect the flu season to end anytime soon.

"It picked up over the last few weeks, and from what we've been seeing it's still peaking," said Dr. Gary Bonfante, vice chairman of the Department of Emergency and Hospital Medicine at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton.

It's not just in the Hazleton area, he said. Doctors at other Lehigh Valley Health Network properties have told Bonfante that they've been "completely inundated" by patients with influenza.

And across the nation, the Centers for Disease Control reports that the virus is widespread everywhere except Hawaii.

Bonfante called it a "very virulent" strain, one that's to blame for 47 deaths in Pennsylvania as of Saturday.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, almost 25,500 cases of the flu have been confirmed through laboratory tests since October. Luzerne County has had 545 cases; Schuylkill County reported 237 and Carbon County has had 91, according to the department.

Flu season, which begins Oct. 1 and ends May 19, historically doesn't peak until February.

While people have been complaining of severe symptoms this season, some often question whether they have the flu or a cold.

"It can be similar to a cold," Bonfante said. "But a cold has milder symptoms. You may have stuffiness, a runny nose and you may have a cough." A low fever is also possible with a cold.

With the flu, sufferers often become suddenly ill with fever, body aches and respiratory issues. They feel extremely fatigued.

Bonfante said there is no cure for the flu. Those who visit a medical facility might receive an antiviral prescription medication that can cut the illness' duration.

"If we're going to start treatment, we need to start it within 24 to 48 hours," Bonfante said. "The thing about the treatment is that it's not a panacea. It shortens the course of the illness in most people by about 24 hours."

Those who don't visit a doctor within that time frame can treat symptoms at home. They should rest, take ibuprofen or acetaminophen to control their fever, and drink fluids. People with compromised immune systems and the elderly should see a doctor since they could develop a more serious infection.

Bonfante said it's not too late in the season to get a flu shot. While it has been reported that the vaccine is less effective than hoped, he said "some effectiveness is better than none."

He also stressed the importance of washing hands, using hand sanitizers and avoiding close contact with people who are sick. Those who are sick should cover their mouth and nose with a tissue while sneezing, or should sneeze into their elbow.

Contact the writer: jwhalen@standard

speaker.com; 570-501-3592

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