Louisiana Among States With Highest Flu Cases

(KMDL-FM) - You probably know someone right now who's battling the flu. So, it should come as no surprise that Louisiana is seeing some of the highest flu activity in the country.

Louisiana Among the Hardest-Hit States

A slowdown does not appear to be in the near future, as public health experts warn that cases will continue to rise through the holidays and into the new year.

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), five states in the U.S. have the highest number of flu cases, including New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, Colorado, and Louisiana.

What Doctors Are Seeing in Emergency Rooms

Dr. Mark Laperouse, Medical Director of Emergency Services with Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, says they are currently testing between 45 and 50 patients a day for the flu, and about 30% of those tests are coming back positive.

Why Flu Cases Continue to Rise

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine each season. However, vaccination rates have been decreasing in recent years.

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Doctors say it's not too late to get a flu shot this season.

As most of us know, the flu is no laughing matter. In some cases, it can be deadly.

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How Deadly the Flu Can Be

Dr. Fred Lopez, an infectious disease specialist at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, shared some of the grim statistics regarding the flu in America.

"I can't emphasize enough, we see on average about 35,000 deaths a year from the flu. We've already seen close to 2,000 deaths already in this flu season in the United States,” Lopez said. “Flu is not something to be taken lightly, particularly if you're more vulnerable.”

People who develop flu symptoms should seek medical care early, Lopez said. He noted that antiviral medications can shorten illness and reduce the risk of spreading the virus to others.