The Missoula City-County Health Department has confirmed several cases of seasonal flu in Missoula County. Four other Montana counties have also confirmed flu cases.
A press release from Missoula County does not name those counties.
The health department says flu typically doesn’t show up here until December or January. It says an early appearance of flu virus does not indicate that this year’s flu season will be any more or less severe than usual.
Flu vaccine is available at Missoula’s city-county health department, and the department says the vaccine is the best way to prevent flu, but it says hand washing and staying home from school or work when sick also help prevent the flu’s spread.
Young children, older adults and people with compromised immune systems are at much higher risk of developing the flue. Influenza activity is also beginning to increase around the state of Montana, with 4 counties reporting confirmed flu activity.
Last flu season there were just under 1,300 confirmed flu cases in Montana, and 4 flu-related deaths.
For more information, contact Cindy Hotchkiss, Health Promotion Director at 258-3686 or the Infectious Disease Office at 258-3896. More information on influenza can be found at www.cdc.gov/flu
