For the first time since mid-September, Virginia has dropped from the list of states that have widespread levels of flu, ending a 15-week run.
Diane Woolard, division director of the department for surveillance and investigation at the Virginia Department of Health, said the state is reporting to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today that Virginia is no longer experiencing widespread levels of flu as of the week ending Jan. 2.
The levels in Virginia are still higher than normal for this time of year, because of the H1N1 virus, or swine flu. Woolard said the levels of flu are measured by a combination of factors, including rate of visits of people with flu symptoms to emergency rooms and urgent care centers, the number of positive flu cultures gathered by sentinel doctors throughout the state, and the number of flu outbreaks. She said health officials will continue to monitor what comes next, whether it’s another round of H1N1, or the regular seasonal flu, which usually peaks in January or February.
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We're not out of the woods yet
This is good news, but the last line of this article says a lot. No one should let up their guard yet. Past influenzas have mutated and come back even more powerful. Let's hope the real flu season is a mild one.
NUMBERS ARE OFF
There is a good reason why the numbers are "down" in Virginia - because doctor's offices and clinics aren't even bothering to take cultures anymore - they are just telling their patients that if they have the symptoms than to assume they have the flu and go to bed. I've heard this from so many people lately, that I believe word of mouth is getting around about this practice and people are not even bothering to go to the doctor anymore. If people don't go to the doctor or if doctors don't test for the flu than it just looks like the numbers are down.