Flu 'widespread' in state, says CDC
By Matt Sedensky
Associated Press
The state is experiencing a widespread flu outbreak for the first time in years, health officials said yesterday.
But Hawai'i's status under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's most severe classification of influenza infections is misleading, the state Department of Health said, both because the number of cases has been more intensely tallied this season and because the widespread categorization is less relevant in a small state.
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"Some states have 30 or 40 counties," said Janice Okubo, a spokeswoman for the health department. "When you say widespread, that's an indication that the outbreak has significantly increased and there are many, many people ill. In Hawai'i, that indicator is not as relevant."
But health department officials did not deny Hawai'i's flu situation appeared more serious than previous years.
The number of reported flu cases rose to 228 last week, up from 168 the week before, officials said. And at least half of the regions surveyed by the state reported an increase in the flu last week, allowing for Hawai'i's place at the top of the CDC's five-tiered outbreak scale.
But officials cautioned the numbers could be a result of more aggressive tracking. The health department said it is actively calling more than 40 hospitals and other health centers to tally cases; it normally just records such information as it is volunteered by medical facilities.
"If you're looking for cases," said Darcie Yukimura, another DOH spokeswoman, "you will get more than if you're just waiting for them."
Hawai'i is one of 38 states reporting a widespread outbreak. No widespread outbreak has been reported here at least since 1997, the last year from which the Health Department had data available.
Statewide, flu reports peaked the week ending Dec. 27, with physicians participating in the Health Department's flu surveillance program reporting 10.2 percent of their patients with influenza-like illnesses. Last week, doctors reported 7.2 percent of patients had flu symptoms.
"I don't know if this is going to be the peak at this time or if we're going to keep seeing increases," said Dr. Paul Effler, the state epidemiologist.
Nationally, federal officials said yesterday the flu season appears to be on the decline.
The flu season in the United States got off to an unusually early and harsh start, raising fears that this could be one of the deadliest seasons in years, especially among children.
Effler said the state's mortality rate because of flu remained low, but the actual number of deaths was not available.
Thousands of doses of flu vaccines are still available, but individuals who want to receive the injected vaccine must receive a physician referral to a state clinic.
The state has also obtained the nasal flu vaccine FluMist, which is available to healthy people, ages 5 to 49.
