NoVA Flu Cases at Three Times Normal Rate

While the Centers for Disease Control counts Virginia as one of the states seeing a spike in flu cases, flu is not a reportable disease, so hard numbers are difficult to come by. But Inova, the largest hospital system in Northern Virginia, is seeing a spike in the number of flu patients visiting their emergency rooms, a spokesman said.

And across the area, it's the same story — three times as many — a county spokesman said.

Inova announced Friday it was restricting hospital visitation to avoid an outbreak.

"We, like everyone else in the Metro region, have experienced an uptick over the past four weeks in both outpatient visits to our EDs [emergency rooms] as well as in-patient placements for those with flu-related complications," said Tony Raker, public relations director for Inova Hospitals in Northern Virginia.

In December, the rate of people with the flu in the Leesburg/Ashburn area was the highest it's been since 2009-10, according to flu data from the Centers for Disease Control.

Members of the Inova hospital staff are advising patients to contact their primary care physicians for consultation, Raker said. If someone's doctor is unavailable, a flu patient should seek out an urgent care or CVS Minute Clinic to save costs associated with a trip to the emergency room, he said.

"Coming to the ED [emergency room] is expensive only to be told in most cases what to obtain over the counter to ease symptoms," he said.

Symptoms and treatment at www.flu.gov.

However, three specific patient categories should seek immediate physician care, he warned:

1) children under 5

2) those 65 or older

3) women who are pregnant. 

All others should be watching for dehydration, usually as a result of excessive vomiting – and should also seek immediate medical attention, he said.

Could something like what's happening in Boston —  where there are 700 confirmed cases and local officials are declaring a public health emergency — happen here? If it did, Inova would be ready, Raker said.

"As to the Boston situation, our five hospitals have all positioned both physically and from a staffing perspective to avoid such a scenario," Raker said. "We are offering masks for those coughing who are coming in to our hospitals, but that is voluntary. We have adjusted working hours to cover additional care requirements – not unlike an inclement weather situation."

Just how many cases are there in Virginia?

The number of people who have reported to hospital emergency rooms in the Northern Region of Virginia with Influenza-like illnesses (ILI) in recent weeks is about three times higher than the number of people who typically show up in ERswith ILI symptoms throughout the year, according to Glen Barbour, public safety information officer for Fairfax County.

"A more accurate indication of the level of flu activity is the number of people who present at hospital emergency departments with flu-like illness," he said. (Symptoms of influenza include fever plus a cough and/or sore throat, feeling feverish/chills, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue/ tiredness.) 

"In any case, any reporting of the number of flu cases is likely to be inaccurate because we know that there are likely many more people in the community who have flu—thousands more," he said.

"Flu activity is high in our community and a person may never know where he or she was exposed to flu as they go throughout their daily routines, so taking the four precautions is important for everyone," Barbour said. Those four are: Get an annual flu shot, wash hands often, cover coughs and sneezes and stay home when sick.

Flu vaccine still widely available in Northern Virginia

People can get vaccinated at pharmacies, doctors’ offices, or the county health department.     

Leesburg Patch reported last month on places to get a Flu shot in Leesburg.

Inova is offering flu vaccinations the next three weekends. While there aren't any scheduled at Inova Loudoun at this time, there are some in the area:

Inova Fairfax Hospital

• Saturday: 9 a.m. to Noon – Women’s Health Atrium
• Jan. 26: 9 a.m. to Noon – Women’s Health Atrium

Inova Fair Oaks Hospital

• Jan. 19: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Medical Plaza Building, Conference Room B

Read more about this year's flu season.