Flu season claims 56 lives in North Carolina already this season

Data released by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services last week shows 56 people in the state have died from the flu since the onset of this year’s season.

According to the N.C. DHHS, the bulk of flu-related deaths this flu season, which started in October, fell between the ages of 25 and 49. This trend differs from last year, where most flu-related deaths struck people older than 65.

The data also shows that this year’s flu epidemic is widespread throughout the state, with no concentration in a particular area.

Dr. David Weber, a professor at the UNC School of Medicine and the Gillings School of Global Public Health, said the vast majority of this year’s flu cases stem from the H1N1 strain.

“Virtually all the cases, 95 percent, were H1N1 strain, which was the 2009 pandemic strain,” Weber said.

He said it’s not clear if this year’s virus is more prone to affecting young and middle-aged people or if that age range is just less likely to get their flu shot, a key prevention tool that he recommends.

Weber also said the flu virus spreads easily throughout dense populations, such as college campuses, because it is a contact-spread illness.

“The closeness of college facilitates transmission,” he said.

To help avoid spreading the disease, he advised sick students to stay inside and remain 3 to 6 feet away from others at all times while ill.

Dr. Mary Covington, executive director of Campus Health Services, said flu cases on campus peaked around mid-January this year.

“We saw the most cases the week ending Jan. 18, where 6 percent of our clinic visits were influenza-like illnesses,” she said.

But there was a downturn in flu-like symptoms two weeks ago — she said influenza-like illnesses reported to Campus Health decreased 3.5 percent.

“If you have a fever over 100, cough, cold, congestion or runny nose, you should just probably assume that it’s the flu,” she said.

Covington said flu shots are offered at Campus Health, but that other pharmacies in town might be more convenient to students living off-campus.

Calvin Barker, a UNC freshman, had the flu the weekend of the Jan. 18 influx on campus.

“I had the bulk of the symptoms for about four or five days,” he said.

He said it started as a bad cough that eventually turned into a fever and an inability to concentrate — symptoms that led him to visit Campus Health, where he was prescribed Tamiflu to combat his 102-degree fever.

Barker said he followed his doctor’s orders, stayed isolated and did a lot of homework — all of which helped contribute to his speedy recovery.

Barker has received his flu shot every year, including this year, and this is the first time he has ever had the flu.

Despite his encounter with the illness, Barker said he still believes the flu shot has worked for him.

“For me, the flu shot has had a 95 percent success rate. I’ll take those odds.”

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