How Bad is This Year's Flu Season?

Joe Gastaldo, MD, OhioHealth Infectious Disease specialist, shares the stats on why this is such a bad flu season.

So far, this influenza season is of concern. Today, in the state of Ohio, we’ve had approximately 1,400 confirmed cases of people being hospitalized because of influenza infection. This week and last week alone, the state of Ohio has had about 400 confirmed influenza hospitalizations. Hospitalizations over the last five years, on average, were under 50 per week for the same two-week period.

The best advice Dr. Gastaldo has is to get your flu shot. And we do know the predominant circulating strain of influenza right now is influenza AH3N2, which is included in this season’s influenza vaccination.