As students crowd together in dorms and classrooms, they might want to watch out for this year’s unusually resistant strain of influenza
Students returning to Ohio University after winter break might be in store for the coughs, aches and pains that have ravaged Athens County this flu season.
So far in Athens County, there have been 10 hospitalizations from the flu, officials have said.
James Gaskell, health commissioner at the Athens City-County Health Department, said the 2014-15 flu season — which lasts from November to early April — has been especially harsh in comparison to last year’s. He said there are usually around five to six hospitalizations per year.
He added college towns are especially susceptible.
“When you have 200 students coming together in a class, it’s going to spread rapidly,” Gaskell said. “I suspect that college towns certainly influence (infection) rates.”
April Cunningham, a sophomore studying marketing, said she is not too concerned about catching the flu.
“I’m very careful,” she said. “I pay attention to where I put my hands, and I wash my hands often.”
Athens County has experienced a rate of 15.44 flu cases per every 100,000 residents this season, according to Ohio Department of Health records.
Similarly, Miami County, which includes Miami University, has had a rate of 27.32 cases per 100,000 residents and Portage County, which includes Kent State University, has had a rate of 34.69 per 100,000 residents.
Gaskell said in Athens County so far, there have been a total of 10 hospitalizations from the flu. This is higher than usual, as he said there are usually about five to six hospitalizations per year.
Cuyahoga County has had the most hospitalizations due to influenza, with more than 1,000, followed by Hamilton and Franklin Counties, which each had more than 350 cases.
Gaskell said flu cases are high this year because the most virulent strain of flu that is circulating is both severe and resistant to vaccination.
Flu vaccinations are most effective at combating the H2N2 strain of flu. This year, the H3N2 strain has been spreading.
Gaskell said it’s common for the strain to alternate between the H2N2 strain and another strain from year to year due to what he called “pathogenic drip.”
Although flu cases were high this year compared to last year, Gaskell said, nationally the numbers look about the same as they did two years ago.
Melanie Amato, a spokeswoman with the Ohio Department of Health, said this past week has had the highest number of hospitalizations the state has seen for six years.
She also said that so far, every county in Ohio has had at least one hospitalization from the flu.
Gaskell maintained that although this year’s strain is more resistant to vaccinations, it is still important for people to get vaccinated while they can. He said vaccinations prevent flu about 50 percent of the time and can at least reduce the severity of a flu if it does strike.
Amato echoed that statement.
“We always would like to see people go out and get vaccinated,” she said. “That’s the best way to prevent (the spread of the flu).”
@wtperkins
wp198712@ohio.edu
