Rise in Type B Flu
By
KGNS News
Story Created:
Oct 28, 2012 at 11:42 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Oct 29, 2012
Flu vaccine clinics are going on throughout the city after Laredo doctors are reporting an early flu season.
“Within the past month, I’ve seen 100 to 150 influenza type B cases,” says family practitioner, Doctor Julio Lujano.
There's still no official declaration of an outbreak, but physicians like Lujano say an epidemic of type B flu, an uncommon strain, is exactly what we are seeing.
He says people, especially parents must be aware.
“The community needs to know there is a flu epidemic type b. That way officials at school, or at work can take precautions and make sure to isolate individuals for recommended periods of time. Otherwise we send them back premature, and more become infected as well.”
December is when flu cases usually begin to rise.
However LISD officials say right now, they’re already seeing a rise in student absences.
They have received no word about an epidemic as of yet, but are hosting vaccine clinics on campus.
Headaches, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea are signs your child maybe getting the flu, and a pronounced fever as well
“Typically the fever tends to go away on day seven or six, and they can go back to normal function.”
That’s how long symptoms tend to last.
But Dr. Lujano says noticing signs of the flu, is the best precaution.
“The best outcome is when medication is given in the first 48 hours, and they need a lot of rest and a lot of TLC.”
