Shreveport-Bossier Area Faces High Flu Activity as State Surges

If you are gathering with a large group of people for Christmas, remember we are seeing a spike in the number of flu cases all across Louisiana. Medical folks are concerned the Christmas holiday will cause this number to spike again in the next couple of weeks.

How Bad Is the Flu Problem in Northwest Louisiana

The Shreveport–Bossier area is seeing flu cases surge along with the rest of Louisiana, which health officials say now ranks among the states with very high influenza activity, according to federal health data from the CDC.

The positivity rate for flu in Louisiana has hit a high for the year with a positivity rate of more than 23%. The previous high rate for the year was back in January when the positivity rate was 21%.

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How Busy Are Shreveport Pharmacies

I spotted a long line of folks at a couple of pharmacies in Shreveport on Monday afternoon and at the Walgreens on Youree Drive, there were 10 cars in the drive thru. I can only assume these were folks who didn’t want to get out at go into the store to get meds.

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What Are the Symptoms of This Flu Strain

Folks are showing up at doctor’s offices with a fever, body aches and coughs. These symptoms are popping up across the state.

Doctors report they are seeing a noticeable uptick in patients coming in for flu symptoms. The flu season right now in Louisiana is listed as very high.
Folks are encouraged to get the flu vaccine. Doctors say it’s not too late, but if you get the shot before Christmas, it won’t kick in until sometime next week.

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What’s Driving the Spike in Flu Cases?

Hospital and ER Visits Increasing: Latest figures from health officials say emergency room visits linked to flu illness have climbed sharply over the past month.