Indiana Finally Sees Low-Level Flu Activity

ACROSS INDIANA— Flu season is winding down, including in Indiana, as federal health officials are saying there is now low-level flu activity across the state. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 312 flu-related deaths this season.

Just last month, the CDC said that while reports of the H3N2 virus — a vaccine-resistant influenza A strain that has dominated this season — declined in recent weeks, the B strain has ramped up.

The B strain, generally more severe for young children, was reported more frequently than the A strain in recent weeks. In Indiana, there were more than twice the amount of B strain viruses detected by the Indiana State Department of Health than A strain this last week, specifically A viruses (H3N2 and H1N1).

Health officials say 11 people between the ages of 0 and 24 have died this season from flu-related illness.

Click here to find a flu shot in your area.

Here are some tips to avoid the flu and curb it from spreading, according to the CDC:

• Stay home if you're sick. With the exception of seeking medical care, do not go out until 24 hours after your fever has subsided without the use of medication.
• Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces that may have become contaminated with germs.
• Avoid others who are sick.
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue. Throw away tissues after use.

To treat the flu, use over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or cough syrup to relieve symptoms. Rest in bed and drink lots of fluids.

If you contact your doctor within 48 hours of onset of symptoms, you may be able to take an antiviral drug, which will reduce the severity of symptoms and length of the illness.

You can be contagious from one day before and up to seven days after becoming sick.

Photo credit: Shutterstock