The Center for Disease Control's latest weekly Flu report notes that 5,249 confirmed cases of the flu have afflicted the nation from October 1, 2013 to January 12, 2013. Unsurprisingly, seniors over the age of 65 were the hardest hit. The CDC's influenza home page suggests that the elderly, pregnant women, children younger than two years old, and people with chronic respiratory problems are most susceptible to complications. Influenza A was by far the most prevalent catalyst for hospitalizations, causing 87.6 percent of cases.
In New York alone, the flu stands at its "widespread" level, and reported lab-confirmed flu patients in 56 counties and New York City. The state experienced an eight percent uptick in total cases during the week encompassed by the January 12 report. The flu took the lives of one child as the CDC collected data for the week, adding to the total of three for the 2012-2013 season in the state. Let's take a look at the state-by-state levels of Influenza Like Illnesses (ILI).
High ILI Activity: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Wyoming, New York City
Moderate ILI Activity: Arizona, California, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, West Virginia, and Wisconsin
Low ILI Activity: Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Washington
Minimal ILI Activity: Kentucky, Maine, and Montana
Insufficient Data: District of Columbia.
Flu symptoms also include sore throat, headaches, and potentially diarrhea and vomiting. Infants will often experience poor circulation, lethargy, swollen glands, and a lack of appetite. The flu is contagious and can be spread through communal surfaces or objects, coughing, sneezing, or talking nearby others. Once infected, most people have the ability to sicken others between five and seven days after symptoms become apparent. The illness can also be transferred up to one day before any effects are felt. However, the CDC clarifies that "young children and people with weakened immune systems might be able to infect others for an even longer time."
Although the common cold shares symptoms with the flu, it's less severe by nature. Cold symptoms include stuffy nose, body aches, tiredness, mild fever, and rarely necessitate hospitalizations. Flu patients experience more intense fevers, severe lethargy, and generally a greater discomfort caused by body aches.
Pneumonia can be caused by the cold or flu, and often cause chills, fever, chest pain, intense abdominal pain, nausea, muscle aches, vomiting, excessive phlegm, dry cough, and shortness of breath. The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that emergency symptoms include bloody phlegm, high fever, bluish-toned skin, heavy breathing, confusion, weight loss, and rapid heart rate.