Although the H1N1 flu strain is the most prominent in Europe in 2011, the H3N2 strain is the most common strain in the U.S. This is a strain that, unlike H1N1, affects mostly the elderly. The H1N1 virus caused only 10,000 deaths in the U.S. last year, a low number due to the fact it targeted younger people who were better able to recover.
Normally, the flu causes about 34,000 deaths among Americans. Medical experts predict that this year’s flu season should be about average, but that the elderly are again particularly at risk. The elderly should receive a flu shot, many experts say, in order to avoid the flu and potentially life-threatening risks of pneumonia or other complications.
There are still many cases of the H1N1 in the U.S. However, the fact that so many Americans received a vaccination against H1N1 has caused the number to drop dramatically. Research indicates that 1 in 4 cases are Type B strains this flu season. Both H1N1 and H3N2 are Type A.
Typically, cases of the flu spike in January and February, and a flu shot takes about two to three weeks to take full effect. So doctors are encouraging people, especially the elderly, to head out immediately to get a flu shot if they would like it to be helpful.
More than 160 million doses of the flu vaccine were manufactured for this flu season, and thankfully, the vaccine does protect against just about all of the flu strains that are currently affecting the American public.
Although the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have released a list of the states that are currently experiencing high volumes of the flu, medical experts warn that the flu is completely unpredictable. Some states will not have hotspots at all, yet some states that are highly affected may have major outbreaks in a couple major cities.
Nonetheless, here are the states that have either a high incidence, or widespread amount, of flu cases: Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Virginia.
The CDC reminds Americans that the flu will often have many peaks before it completely subsides in the spring. Patients should not think they are in the clear from the flu just because it is mid-January. As mentioned earlier, most flu cases, and most flu-related deaths occur in January and February.
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