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The Connecticut Department of Health issued its report for the week ending on Saturday, May 4, and the virus continues to spread throughout the state. The 77 deaths are still less than at this time last year.
The CDC said that reported cases tend to increase in November before peaking between December and February. Flu season typically lasts through the middle of the spring.
The organization estimates that flu has resulted in between 9.2 million and 35.6 million illnesses each year in the United States and hundreds of deaths. Of those illnesses, an estimated 9 percent were hospitalized.
In Connecticut, the “influenza activity classification” has gone from “sporadic,” to “local,” before being labeled as “regional” on Nov. 24. and it is has been declared "widespread" since, as flu activity remains elevated after rapidly increasing in recent months.
To date, a total of 3,347 hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed influence have been admitted between Aug. 26 last year and May 4. There have been a total of 10,038 influenza positive laboratory tests have been reported, including 1,857 in Fairfield County.
It takes approximately two weeks following the vaccination for the antibodies to protect against flu to develop in the body, so make plans to get vaccinated early in fall, before flu season begins.
CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October, though there is still time to get vaccinated. Getting vaccinated later, however, can still be beneficial and vaccination should continue to be offered throughout flu season, even into January or later.
According to the CDC, the flu infects the respiratory tract. “As the infection progresses, the body’s immune system responds to fight the virus."
"This results in inflammation that can trigger respiratory symptoms such as a cough and sore throat. The immune system response can also trigger fever and cause muscle or body aches. When infected persons cough, sneeze, or talk, they can spread influenza viruses in respiratory droplets to people who are nearby.
"People might also get flu by touching a contaminated surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth or nose.”
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