Positive flu cases, hospitalizations on the rise in DFW late-season spike

A virus commonly associated with the winter is spiking again nationally and in North Texas. Health officials report more people are testing positive for the flu and being hospitalized with it.

It started as a nice weekend vacation for Jeremy Gomez.

"Is this the beginning of some infection or cancer or something like that? My voice sounded bad, so that was kind of weird. I was wheezing," Gomez said.

That progressed into an uncontrollable cough and got even worse.

"I just totally crashed, and I had like a fever and was sweating a bunch," Gomez said.

Gomez said he originally thought his allergies were acting up since it's mid-May.

"It's so late. I didn't even think it could be the flu," Gomez said. "Honestly, when my girlfriend said, 'I'm going to go get you some flu stuff,' I was like, 'that's weird.'"

Gomez isn't alone.

According to the most recent CDC data from the week of May 9, flu cases are up 2.9% from the previous week. Almost 1,500 people were admitted to hospitals due to the virus. That's an increase of almost 2%.

The most recent week of data from Dallas County Health and Human Services shows a 50% increase in positive flu cases. In Tarrant County, cases went up by 8%.

Dr. David Winter with Baylor Scott & White in Dallas said the trend is unusual.

"Usually we see that by April, it's about gone," Winter said. "A lot of this is due to the fact that not many people are getting vaccinated. That's why the virus can stick around a lot longer. Vaccines may not prevent you from getting the flu, but they can prevent you from getting a severe case or from spreading it."

He has some advice to prevent catching the virus.

"You might want to limit your visits with people if they're sick," Winter said. "In crowds, watch out for people that are coughing or sneezing. Stay away from them. Masks work."

One way to reduce your risk of getting the flu is to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, and if you can't, make sure to keep some hand sanitizer with you.

Winter said maintaining a healthy lifestyle can boost your immune system, which may prevent getting very sick.

"Overall, people that get plenty of rest, people that exercise and don't drink too much alcohol, they don't smoke, those people are less likely to become infected," Winter said.

You're encouraged to seek medical help if you're having symptoms.

"Come in. Let's get some swabs and figure out exactly what you have," Winter said. "What works for influenza doesn't work for strep. It doesn't work for pneumonia. It doesn't work for Covid, so it makes a difference what your diagnosis is."

Winter recommends getting your flu shot in the fall.