NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Ochsner health officials confirm the percent positive of flu cases among people ages 18 and younger has doubled in the last month at their hospitals.
In September, the positivity rate sat at 12.7%. In October, it’s already reached around 30%.
“We are seeing an early flu season here in our region,” said Dr. Katherine Baumgarten over at Ochsner. “It’s earlier than it has been in the last four to five years actually.”
Schools may be acting as the super spreader location.
“If a child goes to school with symptoms that can spill to other children in the environment,” said the doctor.
Rochelle Fahrig’s two boys caught the flu last week. She heeded the advice of professionals and kept her children home.
“He [her child] came in running an extremely high fever of 101.5,” said Fahrig. “It came on very suddenly, so he was down for a couple days. As soon as he went back to school, the next one came home and complained of discomfort and not feeling good. Then his fever spiked and he was down a couple days.”
Fahrig was stunned at how soon her kids got sick, adding she didn’t even know the flu was going around.
“It’s kind of early in the season. I didn’t expect it to hit so soon,” said Fahrig.
Currently, the CDC is reporting the Bayou area is in the “very high” category for activity of infection.