Influenza in abstentia
No reports of flu in Garrison, one in county
By JAMES C. FALCON
editors@bhgnews.com
Active cases of influenza do not appear to be in the Garrison area yet.
Marissa Schelske, interim director of nursing at CHI St. Alexius Health Garrison, noted that the hospital has not reported any cases so far this year.
This is “pretty normal” for this time of year, she noted.
“We normally hit in December through February, when we have our most cases,” Schelske said.
In the average year, flu season typically hits in North Dakota between the months of January and March.
As of Monday afternoon, there was just one active case of influenza in McLean County. Active cases, as defined by the North Dakota Department of Health, are “laboratory-confirmed” cases of influenza, meaning they include people that tested positive for influenza in a healthcare setting.
Almost all of North Dakota, with the exception of Williams and Ward counties, had 10 or less active cases of flu on Monday afternoon; Williams had 18 and Ward had 32, the highest in the state.
In its weekly influenza report, the North Dakota Department of Health advised that the best way to prevent influenza-related illness is to get the influenza vaccination “as soon as it is available for you.”
Schelske recommends the proactive approach to the flu season and getting the vaccine.
