Indianapolis, Indiana – A child has died from the flu for the first time this season.
According to the Indiana Department of Health, 24 influenza-related deaths have been reported in Indiana during the season as of the week ending December 3. According to the government, the state will include its first pediatric flu death in its next report.
The department issued a request for people to get immunized as soon as possible on Monday. The call comes at a time when hospitals all around Indiana are being severely impacted by Indiana’s high flu transmission rates.
According to the CDC, the hospitalization rate across the country is higher than it was at the same time for any flu season prior to 2010–2011. In Indiana, according to Brian Tabor, president of the Indiana Hospital Association, if cases continue to increase at this rate, the state may reach or perhaps surpass the records set during the height of COVID-19 for inpatient capacity.
Health experts are also advising patients, whenever feasible, to go to urgent care facilities or a family doctor’s office rather than an emergency room for routine testing for respiratory diseases or treatment for minor symptoms.
“Our hospitals are dealing with the triple impact of influenza, RSV, and COVID-19 right now, along with normal emergencies and illnesses, and we want to keep emergency rooms clear for Hoosiers who urgently need them,” said State Health Commissioner Kris Box.
The CDC is also recommending individuals to use face masks inside once more. Health professionals worry that the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holidays, when families are anticipated to assemble across the nation, might significantly tax our healthcare system if people don’t take the necessary safeguards.
“Our immune system has not been revved up. The vaccine rates are lower. We are a prime sitting target for other respiratory illnesses as we relax our guard down and begin to have contact with other people,” said Dr. Bruce Hirsch, an attending physician in infectious diseases at Northwell Health.
The government notes that while anybody can contract the flu, some people are more vulnerable to its side effects, including pneumonia, hospitalization, and even death. This includes elderly persons, children under the age of 18, those with chronic illnesses, people who have compromised immune systems, and pregnant women.
Common signs and symptoms of the flu include:
• fever of 100° Fahrenheit or greater
• headache
• fatigue
• cough
• muscle aches
• sore throat
• runny or stuffy nose
By often and thoroughly washing their hands, avoiding touching their eyes, nose, or mouth with their hands, and remaining at home when ill, people can help stop the spread of the flu. To assist stop the spread of the flu and other infectious diseases, the department advised individuals to follow the “Three Cs”:
• Clean: Properly wash your hands frequently with warm, soapy water.
• Cover: Cover your cough and sneeze with your arm or a disposable tissue.
• Contain: Stay home from school or work when you are sick to keep your germs from spreading.
