As COVID-19 has taken center stage this past year, could it be influencing other diseases we would normally be talking about this time of year?
Influenza is usually peaking around now but local health officials say the number of cases is way down. Could it be associated with the measures that have been taken to reduce the spread of the coronavirus? Washing hands, social distancing, even wearing masks seem to be making a difference.
Allen County Public Health Prevention and Health Services Director Tami Gough explains, “This time last year we had the number of 51 flu-associated hospitalizations and right now that number is 7, maybe as many as 11. There are still some results pending type of thing. Either way, even if it is 11, that’s 1/5th of the numbers that we typically have in a flu season.”
The Ohio Department of Health is reporting only 22 influenza hospitalizations across the state for the month of January.
