Keep those coughs and sneezes covered

As the flu begins its long winter stretch, health officials encourage people to take precautions to avoid getting sick.

The number of lab-confirmed cases of the flu in Sussex County doubled for the week ending Dec. 5 for a total of five, but officials say there could be more.

“We often say that lab-confirmed cases are just the tip of the iceberg as there may be many others with symptoms that choose to self-medicate,” said Andrea Wojcik, chief of community relations for the Division of Public Health.

Statewide flu cases for the week ending Dec. 2 included two cases in Kent County and nine in New Castle. Totals for the 2017-18 flu season are 46 with 10 in Sussex, 12 in Kent and 24 in New Castle. Fifteen people required hospitalization and there was one flu-related death. A New Castle man, 47, with several underlying health conditions died in a long-term care facility, Wojcik said.

Getting a flu shot is the best protection against the flu, but minimizing contact is also important, Wojcik said.

“At this time of the year, it’s important to keep your distance from others if you have cold or flu-like symptoms,” she said.

Other preventative measures include washing hands frequently with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Cover sneezes and coughs with a tissue, and dispose of tissues immediately; if no tissue is available sneeze or cough into your inner elbow, Wojcik said.

And if the flu hits, stay at home. If suffering from a fever, she said, the temperature should drop to 100◦ F or lower for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.

“If you suspect you have influenza, call your doctor as they may decide to provide antiviral medications to help hasten recovery and prevent serious complications,” Wojcik said.

The number of flu cases this year are slightly higher than the 42 confirmed at this time last year. Still, the number of cases are far from the record number set in the 2014-15 flu season, according to public health data.

By this time in 2015, there were 168 confirmed flu cases compared to 46 for 2017. The number of cases in Sussex County for the same period in 2015 was 117.

The 2014-15 flu season ended with 2,390 cases.