Since at least late February, hospital visits for respiratory illnesses have placed Michigan in the “high” or “very high” category under a ranking by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The flu is most often the cause of those respiratory illness visits at McLaren Oakland Hospital in Pontiac, said spokesman Dave Jones.
The traditional flu season is from October to late April or early May, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
“While flu season is starting to trend down, we are still at high activity in Michigan. Influenza is causing a lot more illness than COVID and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) currently,” said Chelsea Wuth, MDHHS spokeswoman, in an email.
More than 360 Emergency Department patients at Corewell Health hospitals and outpatient centers in southeast Michigan tested positive for the flu in the past two weeks. Of those, 75 patients – about 20% – were admitted, although it’s not known if they were admitted because of the flu or some other condition.
Corewell, formerly Beaumont, operates hospitals in Royal Oak, Troy, Farmington Hills, Dearborn, Taylor, Trenton, Grosse Pointe and Wayne. The outpatient centers are in Lenox Township, Livonia and Canton.
Henry Ford Health, which operates several hospitals and other facilities in southeast Michigan, reported an uptick in flu cases in January and February, but flu illnesses have now leveled off.
With about a month left in the flu season, MDHHS is still recommending that people get a flu shot, as authorities say it provides the most effective protection against serious illness or death.
With rare exceptions, everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season, according to the CDC. Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at higher risk of serious complications from the flu, including those over age 65 and those with chronic medical conditions.
The CDC estimates there have been at least 30 million illnesses, 340,000 hospitalizations and 21,000 deaths nationwide from the flu this season.
Those nationwide death totals include more than 100 children; one was from Michigan. MDHHS did not release the child’s age, vaccination status or county of residence.
The flu, or influenza, is a viral, contagious illness marked by cough, runny nose, fever, body aches. Patients can experience vomiting and diarrhea, although that is more common in children.
An updated guidance from the CDC recommends that when people get sick with a respiratory virus, they should stay home and away from others.
They can return to normal activities when their symptoms are improving overall and, if fever was present, it has been gone without use of fever-reducing medication for at least 24 hours.
Once people resume normal activities, they are encouraged to take additional precautions for the next five days to curb disease spread, such as taking more steps for cleaner air, enhancing hygiene practices, wearing a well-fitting mask and keeping a distance from others.
MDHHS recommends these steps to prevent the spread of illness.
— Avoid close contact with other people who are sick and stay home when you are sick.
— Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
— Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water is not available, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
— Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
— Practice other good health habits including getting plenty of sleep, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, drinking plenty of fluids, and eating nutritious foods.
For more information, go to https://www.cdc.gov/flu/.
