Flu cases on the rise

WINDSOR -The "u has arrived.

Bertie County and the surrounding area have seen an increase in positive "u cases over the past few weeks, and the numbers are growing.

Vidant Family Medicine Bertie Family Nurse Practitioner Teddie Gore says there has been an up-tick in "u activity over the past several weeks.

"The "u is pretty much everywhere at this point. According to the latest statistics on Mon, Jan. 29 there have been 21 conftrmed "u deaths in North Carolina," he added.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in"uenza, also known, as "the "u" is a contagious respiratory illness caused by "u viruses.

It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death.

The CDC explains the "u is different than a cold.

The ftu usually comes on suddenly.

Symptoms of the ftu include:

* Fever or feeling feverish/ chills;

* Cough;

* Sore throat;

* Runny or stuffy nose;

* Muscle or body aches;

* Headaches;

* Fatigue; and

* Some people may experience vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

Most people who get the ftu will recover in several days to less than two weeks, but some people will develop complications as a result of the ftu.

A wide range of complications can be caused by the ftu virus infection of the upper respiratory tract and lower respiratory tract.

While anyone can get sick with the ftu and become severely ill, some people are more likely to experience severe ftu illness than others.

Young children, adults over the age of 65, pregnant women and people with certain chronic medical conditions are among these groups of people who are at risk for serious health complications.

These complications could possibly cause hospitalization and possibly death.

Sinus and ear infections are examples of moderate complications from the ftu, while pneumonia is a serious ftu complication that can result from either inft-enza virus infection alone or from co-infection of ftu virus and bacteria.

Other possible complications triggered by ftu can include inftammation of the heart, brain or muscle tissues and multi-organ failure.

The ftu virus infection of the respiratory tract can trigger extreme inftammat-ry response in the body and lead to sepsis, the body's life-threatening response to infection.

The ftu can make chronic medical problems worse. For example, people with asthma may experience asthma attacks while they have the ftu, and people with chronic heart disease may experience a worsening of the condition triggered by the ftu.

Vidant Health Hospitals have currently set restrictions for children under the age of 12 due to the high number of them with the ftu in the community.

As of Tuesday, Jan. 23Vidant Bertie Hospital along with six other facilities will only allow healthy visitors over 12 years of age.

"Always get a ftu shot. If you are sick, stay away from those who can be compromised and use universal precautions like hand washing," said Gore.

Of"cials from Vidant Health Hospitals encourage that during a time of increased activities individuals should:

* Do not visit patients if you are sick;

* Remember to wash hands frequently; and

* Cover mouth when coughing or sneezing.

"As always, family and visitors of any age should not come to Vidant Bertie Hospital if they have symptoms of cold or ftu, fever, diarrhea, vomiting or headache," stated Vidant Bertie Hospital Marketing/Community Relations/ Development Specialist LuAnn Joyner.

Leslie Beachboard can be reached via email at lbeachboard@ncweeklies.com.