Flu Cases Leveling Off But More Absences in Schools
The numbers are still higher and flu cases are coming in earlier than they have been for several years, but it looks like flu cases in Kane County are starting to level off a little bit. That said, the percentage of students excused from school from flu-like illness increased significantly, and three public schools reported absenteeism above the 5 percent threshold.
According to the weekly influenza surveillance report from the Kane County Health Department, about 9.38 percent of participating hospital emergency room visits were for Influenza-Like-Illness for Week 50 of 2014.
That compares to 9.52 percent from the previous week.
In addition to the numbers on the percentage of ER visits, the Kane County’s influenza survey includes the collection of data from hospital emergency rooms, laboratories and public schools. Participants have reported the following aggregate measures:
- During Week 50, labs reported that 635 of 1780 (35.67 percent) specimens tested for influenza were positive. Of the 635 positive specimens tested, 601 (94.6 percent) were positive for influenza A, 31 (4.9 percent) were positive for influenza B and 3 (0.5 percent) were positive for A and B. No other specimen tested positive for week ending Dec.13, 2014.
- ILI absenteeism rate for schools in Kane County increased to an average of 0.94 percent. This rate increased 185 percent (almost triple) from previous week. A total of three public schools in the county had ILI absenteeism rate above the 5 percent threshold.
- As of week ending Dec. 13, 11 cases of Influenza related ICU admissions were reported to the health department. Four cases were reported for this reporting week. The mean age for all cases reported thus far is 63 years. The age range of cases is 28 to 89 years. No Influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported
- To date, no outbreaks of Influenza have been reported from Long Term Care/Assisted Living facilities. The health department would like to thank the participating hospitals, laboratories, individual schools and school districts that provide the reports that make this monitoring possible.
