North Texas hit by "second wave" of flu, officials warn
NORTH TEXAS — If you tend to flinch at the hacking, sneezing misery that seems to surround us right now, buckle up. After a brief dip in infection rates, the latest report from the CDC shows that the virus is roaring back.
"It's hitting close to home," said Kara Cezar, sharing that her mother was sickened. "[It] took her out for about a week. She's asthmatic, and with her cough, her lungs, and everything, so it was pretty scary. She's doing better now, thank God for that. It's a pretty serious illness right now that people should be taking seriously."
The flu is such a seasonal misery that you might be tempted to take it for granted — local officials hope you won't. According to the CDC, millions have been sickened across the country. Some 11,000 people have died from the flu.
"We're seeing the highest levels that we've seen all season," said Dr. Philip Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services. "So, we don't want them to continue to increase and everyone should really do everything they can to prevent further spread."
According to Huang, hospitalizations and ICU admissions are also at the highest levels so far this flu season. He said getting the flu vaccine even now will offer some protection in the coming weeks. And he's urging everyone to remember that good hygiene matters.
"Wash your hands, cover your cough. Stay home if you're sick. Don't touch your eyes, nose, and mouth, and get the vaccine," said Huang. "And you know, like schools, there in that setting there's a lot of close contact. And so, real opportunities for transmission. So that's always a setting where we can see a lot of spread."
School closures have been reported in at least 10 states—including Texas. Local school districts tell us they're doing their best to keep campuses healthy. And they're urging parents to keep sick students at home.
"That's hard," said Jennifer Agar, who is a nurse. She's visiting from Michigan and said she's seeing the spread there as well. "I see why they have to do it if they have a job they can't miss. You sorta have to send your kid to school, but it obviously affects a greater majority if you do send them to school when they're sick because it spreads pretty well. They're gonna get each other sick."
The Kemp school district in East Texas canceled classes today. They're deep cleaning classrooms following a flu outbreak there. Some Dallas ISD schools are shutting down water fountains to slow the spread, urging students to bring water bottles from home.
"Wash your hands and make sure you don't go to work sick," said Garrett Green. "Keep your distance. When you're sick, you hate the person that made you sick!" he added with a not-really-joking laugh.
