Ohio Faces Severe Flu Outbreak: Wastewater Tests Reveal Elevated Levels of Influenza A, Prompting Concerns and CDC Warning

Visual Representation for flu infected individual
Visual Representation for flu infected individual

United States: Flu has tightly gripped the United States and has been causing a severe effects on the general public of the nation. Recently, alarming situation was shared by the health authorities of Ohio.

According to the recently revealed data from state and federal officials, the Ohio state has been hardest hit with flu during the current season. It has been suspected that the cases are on rise due to high presence of flu in the wastewater system, according to the reports by fox8news.

According to the Painesville Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP), recently clues have been found in its wastewater system that further hits the point home.

The latest announcement by WPCP have revealed that higher levels of influenza A virus was found in the wastewater, which was untreated. The level found was above the average level. The authorities have also mentioned that the same result was concluded by three tests which were conducted in a row.

Epidemiologist with the Ohio Department of Health, MPH – Maya Scullin stated, “Detection of influenza virus in wastewater can indicate higher transmission within a community,” as per fox8news.

How is the outbreak addressed by the CDC?

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have also raised concerns and outlined that the Ohio state of the US has been seeing “very high” rates of “Outpatient Respiratory Illness Activity.

In this regard, flu-related hospitalizations have also increased during this season, especially in the Northeast Ohio. The Ohio Department of Health has shared detailed stats regarding the influenza linked hospitalizations, as of week ending on February 24, 2024.

According to the Ohio DOH, the highest hospitalization rates were registered in the Southeast region, i.e., 144. Following this, 121 hospitalizations were found in the Northwest region, and the East Central region registered 116 hospital admissions, according to the reports by fox8news.

Along with this, Northeast Ohio reported 104 hospitalizations, West Central region of the nation reported 99. 80, 62 hospital admissions were found in Central and Southeast region, respectively.

Map Representation for hospital admissions in Ohio | Credits: ODH

The health authorities have mentioned that the hospitalization rate across the United States might increase in the US as typically, flu season continues through March.

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