PORT ANGELES — The worst of the flu season is over, but health officials say influenza remains widespread across the state.
“We’re probably over the peak of it at this point, and it’s dropping, but we’ll continue to see influenza activity well into March,” Dr. Tom Locke, Clallam County deputy public health officer and public health officer for Jefferson County, told the Clallam County Board of Health on Tuesday.
Clallam County has seen five influenza-related deaths since the flu season began late last year.
All of those were elderly patients who had other medical conditions that contributed to their deaths, Locke said.
Jefferson County has had one flu-associated death as of Wednesday, Health Supervisor Julia Danskin said.
“This is why we are so serious about seasonal influenza,” Locke said.
“It can be a killer, especially in the very old and the very young.”
101 deaths in state
State Department of Health officials said there have been 101 laboratory-confirmed flu deaths this season, including one child.
Statewide figures lag about two weeks behind local reports.
Most of the reported flu deaths in the state have occurred in people with pre-existing health conditions, officials said.
State history
There were 79 flu deaths in all of last year’s flu season. There were 54 influenza deaths in 2012-13 and 18 in 2011-12.
“This year, the predominant circulating strain of influenza has been the so-called H3N2 strain, which tends to cause more severe illness,” Locke said.
This year’s flu vaccine was only about 25 percent effective against H3N2.
Health officials say hand hygiene and staying home from work or school when you’re sick are effective ways to combat the flu.
“We’re still seeing fairly widespread influenza activity in the state,” Locke said.
“Hospitalizations have certainly been up.
“We’ve had a significant fatality rate in Clallam County.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.