Ferocious Flu Strain Sweeping Through California In Worst Season Officials Have Seen In Years
“It’s not just one or two pockets,” said Dr. Randy Bergen, a Walnut Creek pediatrician. “It’s from Santa Rosa to Fresno and from Santa Clara to Roseville. We’re seeing a lot of people with the flu and a lot of busy clinics.”
The Mercury News:
Vicious Influenza Strain Sweeps Bay Area, Deaths Up In State
The flu got off to an early start this season and has been on a vicious tear throughout the Bay Area and California. State health officials have confirmed 17 deaths of people younger than 65 statewide, though news reports from counties around the state indicate the death toll is in the dozens. There have been four reported deaths in Santa Clara County as of Dec. 30, and one in Monterey County as of Dec. 28. (Drummond, 1/4)
Ventura County Star:
Flu Sweeps Across Ventura County, Sending Many To ERs
Waves of flu are rolling through Ventura County, bringing record-breaking visits to a Simi Valley hospital emergency room and surging patient admissions at a Thousand Oaks hospital. Across the county, flu appears to have contributed to at least five deaths, all reported since Christmas, according to public health officials. Four involved people 65 or older. The deaths are two more than the total of a flu season last year that ran into mid-May. The spike has also hit elderly care facilities, with three nursing homes and one assisted-living facility reporting outbreaks to Ventura County Public Health. (Kisken, 1/4)
Modesto Bee:
Influenza Takes A Toll In Stanislaus County. Does The Vaccine Protect Residents?
The most dominant flu virus this season is called H3N2, and it’s been widely reported the seasonal flu vaccine offers little protection against it. Health officials hope the vaccine is at least 30 percent effective as the flu season worsens in the Central Valley. (Carlson, 1/4)