Atlanta

Flu cases spiking in Georgia

By Brian Lazaro
By Brian Lazaro

ATLANTA — State health officials are warning Georgians about a spike in flu cases.

There was a substantial increase in cases in the last two weeks of December, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

"I think that we're likely to see continued high levels and even higher as we move throughout January and into February. By no means have we seen the peak yet," said Dr. Patrick O’Neal, the director of health protection.

According to the DeKalb County-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia is one of five states with the highest level of flu activity.

Tuesday, state health officials announced the first flu-related death in Georgia this season.

Because of privacy issues, officials would only say the victim was an “elderly adult."

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In years past, the flu has been blamed for as many as 40,000 deaths nationwide.

Flu-related hospitalizations also are on the rise in Georgia.

Health officials say one reason for the increase could be the state’s dramatic climate changes.

"If you have periods where you have vacillation from fairly warm to fairly cold, and typically that is something we see a lot of in Georgia, it's like a seesaw, we may be up and down. That’s kind of a good setting for an increase in cases of flu,” said O’Neal.

Health officials are urging everyone 6 months and older to get a flu shot.

"When you have a potential situation that could lead to death, you want to take every precaution you possibly can,” said O’Neal.

Still, Channel 2 Action News found some people who refuse to receive a flu vaccine.

"I haven't had a cold since I was 25-years-old and then the time I took the flu shot I got sick,” said DeKalb County resident Darryl Sanders.

Physicians want to dispel the myth that receiving the flu vaccine can give people the flu.

"If one does come down with the flu after they've had the flu shot, it's because the flu shot has not had time to produce antibodies to protect against flu," said O’Neal.

This season, doctors say, people should receive a flu shot instead of using the flu mist.

Researchers say the inhaled vaccine did not appear to be as effective as the injected vaccine over the past three flu seasons.

Cox Media Group

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