Flu hitsClark County early

Monday, Dec. 22, 2003 | 10:51 a.m.

The Las Vegas area has been hit harder and earlier by flu and flu-like cases this year, according to the Clark County Health District.

During the week of Dec. 8 to 13, the most recent week for which statistical information is available, 5.6 percent of patients at selected local clinics, hospitals and doctors offices had flu-like symptoms, compared with 1.4 percent for that week in 2002 and 1.4 percent for that week in 2001, the health district said.

During the week of Nov. 30 to Dec. 6, 7.8 percent of patients at selected local clinics, hospitals and doctors offices, had flu-like symptoms compared with 2.8 percent for the same week of 2002 and 1.1 percent for the same week in 2001, the health district said.

"This does not mean we are having the worst year for flu in recent years -- it just means we are getting hit early with the flu," Clark County Health District spokesman David Tonelli said.

"We could wind up with the flu season ending early because we began early, and it could wind up being the same as any recent flu season. We just won't know that until April."

Local flu clinics were overrun in December by people seeking flu shots, resulting in the Clark County Health District running out of its original allotment of 25,000 doses.

The district has since obtained additional doses but is issuing them on an appointment-only basis and restricting them to at-risk patients.

They include healthy children ages 6 months to 23 months, adults 65 and older, pregnant women in their second or third trimester or persons age 2 and older with underlying chronic conditions.

The district has about 300 doses of flu vaccine left and, and began accepting appointments for those in the restricted groups today for shots on Tuesday. To schedule an appointment call (702) 383-1351, 383-1352 or 383-1494.

Washoe County, based on guidelines issued by the CDC, lifted similar flu shot restrictions Friday.

The decision was based on the acquisition of 2,000 doses that has given the Northern Nevada county a sufficient supply to provide flu shots for all who want one.

Through Friday, there were 99 confirmed cases of the flu in Southern Nevada, 88 through rapid test confirmation and 11 confirmed through culture testing, which is more accurate.

Many doctors do not test patients for flu because regardless if you have the flu or flu-like symptoms, including fever, sore throat and a cough, the treatment is the same -- plenty of bed rest and fluids to prevent dehydration.

"Most healthy people will get over the flu just fine," Tonelli said. "However, there are instances when people should go to the doctor for treatment."

Those instances include cases involving children under 3 months old who have temperatures of 100.4 or higher; a child 3 months to 3 years who has a fever of 104 degrees or higher that does not break after four to six hours of home treatment; and anyone 4 years or older who has a fever of 104 degrees or higher that does not break after two hours of home treatment.

Late last week, the pharmaceutical company that manages Cepacol cold and flu medicines issued a top 5 "sore spots" that ranked Las Vegas and Riverside tied as the nation's leaders in percentage of population suffering from cold and flu symptoms at 26 percent.

The rest of Cepacol's top 5 was Atlanta (24.8 percent), Casper, Wyo. (24.7 percent) and Seattle, Wash. (24.6 percent).

Tonelli said not knowing the methodology used to determine those figures, the local health district had no comment on Cepacol's findings.

Cepacol officials said the listings are compiled from a cough and cold tracking report that reflects weekly and cumulative changes in people reporting respiratory illness in 72 U.S. markets for 29 weeks starting in September and continuing through March.

Cepacol offered the following tips for preventing the flu or preventing others from getting it: