Health officials in Kentucky are now reporting “widespread” flu activity in Kentucky for the first time this flu season.
Widespread is the highest level of flu activity, which indicates increased flu cases or flu outbreaks in at least half of the Commonwealth’s regions.
Department for Public Health Commissioner Jeff Howard says, “We strongly encourage anyone who hasn’t received a flu vaccine, particularly children six months and older and those people at high risk for complications related to the flu, to get a flu shot.”
He also urges residents to cover their cough and avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth because germs are spread this way. Be sure to frequently wash hands with soap and water and stay home if you are sick with flu-like illness.
Kentucky currently is reporting 1,457 laboratory-confirmed cases of flu.
Four adult deaths and one pediatric death have now been linked to the flu in Kentucky this flu season. At this time in the last flu season Kentucky had twelve flu-related deaths, all adults. During the entire flu season there were 333 flu-related deaths in Kentucky last year, five of which were pediatric.