Cases of flu "exploded" in Erie County over the holidays. That's the word Saint Vincent Health Center infectious diseases specialist, Dr. Howard Nadworny used to describe the outbreak. The strain of flu making people sick is H-3-N-2 and the symptoms include sore throat, body aches, high fever and cough. "People feel like they've been run over by a truck, that their hair hurts, and they can't get up out of bed," said Nadworny. Some people have been hospitalized with the symptoms, especially the elderly. Others are missing work.
The first flu cases surfaced in Erie County in early December, but when families got together for the holidays, the flu spread quickly. Dr. Nadworny said, "I think that it is spreading a lot because of people together for the holidays, which happens when flu season overlaps the holidays. Then young people take it back to school, so people should get vaccinated before they head back if they can."
Health officials say it's not too late to get a vaccine, supplies are still available and Dr. Nadworny says the vaccine includes the strain of flu that Erie is experiencing. Getting the vaccine not only protects you from getting very sick, it helps prevent the spread of the virus to others.
Erie County isn't the only place seeing a spike in the flu virus. The PA Department of Health website indicates that the flu is widespread in Pennsylvania. Dr. Nadworny expects the outbreak to swell through mid January before tapering off.
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