Minnesota has recorded the most flu cases in its history, and it is one severe year for the state. Flu hospitalizations in the state are at an all-time high, which early on was expected to be one of the worst seasons in recent history.
Health experts are warning that hospitals are getting filled while a lot more patients are coming down sick by the day. What is driving this surge? What can be done to protect oneself from it? Let’s take a look.
A Record-Breaking Flu Season in Minnesota
One of the most viral seasons within the past many years, Minnesota is one of the states that rapidly became head-thrusted into the worst flu season this year. In just a week, 722 people were admitted to hospitals after suffering from influenza, and it will likely be higher than any recorded since the flu season of 2014-2015.
As warned, the season is still in full effect, and further rises in numbers are predicted as experts believe it hasn’t peaked yet. This is to say many people congregated at home and in gatherings over the holiday season, which allows the flu to cut across easily. It would generally be while cocooned in an intimate space when someone coughs, sneezes, or even talks, carrying millions of virus droplets into the air where others are present, where it’s just so easy for the flu to spread.
The Quad-Demic: Flu, COVID, RSV, and Norovirus All Rising Together
This year, there is a combination of illnesses that creates a sadder scene than usual. Minnesota hospitals are now facing the situation of having a “quad-demic,” which means they are seeing a surge in four viral diseases: flu, COVID-19, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), and norovirus. Even flu hospitalizations alone have reached almost 1,800 this season.
According to health leaders, this mixed illness creates a strain on the healthcare systems. Emergency departments are not sufficient, and doctors are asking if it is possible not to visit the hospital unless really sick. It’s better to wait out mild symptoms at home rather than risk infecting others or hogging valuable hospital space.
What Doctors Are Saying About the Flu Surge
According to doctors like Dr. Frank Rhame of Allina Health, this flu season has hit unusually fast and hard. The spread of the flu this year has been very rapid. It’s a matter of concern for health experts, like many of the hospitalized flu cases that involved people aged 65 years and older.
Doctors advise simple things not to catch this disease, such as washing hands often and getting a flu shot. When a household member is sick, try to contain them to prevent further spread. It is not good for anyone if one is sick and can stay up; rest and take care.
How to Protect Yourself and Others
With the flu now spreading, it is important to not only protect oneself but also others. Wash hands after touching public places and before eating. When you do not have soap or water available, use hand sanitizer. If sick, do not go out and do not come into close contact with other people, particularly those who are very high-risk, like older people and those with lower ages, even children.
Also, getting a flu shot is another effective way of protection. Although flu vaccination does not guarantee the prevention of all sorts of influenza, it will in all cases reduce symptom severity and minimize complications. For many who have yet to consult their doctor, the time may be now to get a flu shot.
Conclusion
The state has thus become one of the toughest flu seasons in many years. Hospitalizations have increased, and the impact on healthcare systems has already begun; the flu, COVID, RSV, and norovirus have made it all harder to handle in care for doctors and nurses. You must have protective measures: frequent hand washing, not reporting to work or school if sick, and having a flu shot if not.
Yes, it is a terrible flu season, but awareness and preventive measures will help to flatten the curve, making it easier for healthcare systems to bear the burden.
Remember that it is better to stay at home when ill in order to prevent the flu from spreading to others, especially during this record-breaking flu surge in Minnesota.