Flu season continues as cases spike in Washington

Flu cases in King County have spiked over the last two weeks, leading health district officials to warn the public.

“The number of people seen at hospital emergency departments with flu-like illnesses to date is more than we’ve seen at this time of year for the previous five years, but we haven’t peaked yet and I can’t predict when that will happen or how high it will be compared to other years,” said Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for Public Health for Seattle and King County.

Related: Start of flu season already deadly in Snohomish County

Eight people in King County have died from the illness so far this season. But Duchin notes that number isn’t a good indicator of how prevalent the flu is in the region. The reported number is only a fraction of what the real number often is — it’s about 10 percent of the reality, according to Duchin.

“We anticipate that between 75 to 200 people actually die in King County each year from influenza-related complications,” Duchin said.

The sharp spike in cases indicates that the flu season is underway, and the Seattle-King County Health Department is urging people to be prepared for the weeks ahead.

“Flu activity has taken off in the past two weeks in our area,” Duchin said. “Our levels may still be going up. We have an increased number of people seeking care in emergency departments and an increasing number of outbreaks reported in long-term care facilities.”

People in long-term care facilities — residents and workers — are particularly at risk.

“The flu season has high levels of activity for 6 to 12 weeks after we peak,” Duchin said. “We may be peaking now, we may not be peaking for another couple weeks. Then we can expect another 6 to 12 weeks of vigorous flu activity in the community, into the spring when it fades out.”

Duchin stressed that it is not too late to get a vaccination shot and urges people to do so if they haven’t already.

Three die in Pierce County

Within one week, three people died recently in Pierce County, according to the Associated Press. All were between the ages of 6-90 and had other health considerations at the time they were ill. That was last week. Another person died from the flu in Pierce County the week before.

The Associate Press also reports on statistics from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department which show 35 people were hospitalized with the flu last week in Pierce County. There were 12 the previous week, and seven the week before that.

More and more residents in Peirce County have been testing positive for influenza recently. A total of 225 tested positive tests last week,  and another 150 the week before.

H3N2 flu vs. the mumps

Washington state health officials report that the current season’s flu is the same type of strain that struck in 2014-15. There were 157 flu-related deaths in Washington that season, according to the Associated Press.

Duchin said that the particular strain spreading heavily around King County is the H3N2 flu. It is known for causing more severe illness in people. But the current vaccine is “well matched” to the H2N2 strain, Duchin said. That vaccine generally takes about two weeks to “kick in,” he said.

KIRO 7 reports there’s also a mumps outbreak in King County, mainly in the Auburn area.

How can people tell influenza from the mumps? Mumps and influenza share some symptoms, such as fever, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue, but these symptoms are usually worse with the flu. The flu also causes a prominent cough and can cause a sore throat. Mumps causes swelling in the glands around the cheeks or jaw, and this is uncommon with the flu.

Who’s at risk from the flu?

Certain people are at higher risk for serious illness, complications and hospitalization from the flu. These include:

• People with asthma
• People with diabetes, and those with liver disorders or kidney disorders
• People with heart disease and those who have had a stroke
• Adults 65 and older
• Pregnant women
• People who have a weakened immune system due to disease or medication (such as people with HIV or AIDS, or those on chronic steroids)
• People who have cancer
• People with extreme obesity
• People with neurodevelopmental / neurocognitive conditions
• Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
• Native Americans/Alaskan Natives

Anyone in one of these groups or who has regular contact with members of these groups should get a vaccination shot, wash hands frequently, and stay away from others if you have flu symptoms.

KIRO 7 contributed to this article.

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