Close X
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
ADVT 
Health

Flu Season Is Off To A Later Start This Year, And Experts See Signs That It May Be Milder

The Canadian Press, 18 Dec, 2015 12:54 PM
    NEW YORK — This year's flu season seems like old times.
     
    There's not much flu going around so far — unlike the last three seasons when doctors' offices were filled with patients before Christmas and illnesses peaked by late December.
     
    "It really is off to sort of a slow start" compared to that recent history, said Lynnette Brammer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
     
    The CDC released its weekly flu count Friday. Only South Carolina is showing significant flu-related traffic at doctor's offices and clinics.
     
    Traditionally, most flu seasons don't really get going until around Christmas — possibly triggered by holiday gatherings that bring together people and viruses. Infected kids then go back to school, mingle with classmates, and flu season takes off.
     
    Using mathematical modeling, scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory this week predicted there's a 57 per cent chance this flu season will peak in February, and a 67 per cent chance it will be mild.
     
    Experts are still puzzling about why flu became epidemic so early the last few years. Factors might include the weather and what kind of flu bug was spreading the most, said Dr. John Treanor, a flu vaccine researcher at the University of Rochester School of Medicine.
     
    The CDC's Brammer said so far this year there's a mix of flu viruses making people sick. In bad seasons, one nasty strain dominates. And last year, the flu vaccine didn't work very well for the bug that caused most of the illnesses. This year's version was changed.
     
    The delayed season means there's more time for people to get vaccinated, Brammer said.

    MORE Health ARTICLES

    Weight-loss Surgery Boosts Sex Life Too

    Weight-loss Surgery Boosts Sex Life Too
    The popular weight-loss surgery not only makes you look fit and healthy but can also bring spark back in your bedroom life, reveals a study.

    Weight-loss Surgery Boosts Sex Life Too

    How To Combat Your Hangover The Natural Way

    How To Combat Your Hangover The Natural Way
    Eat ginger and stay hydrated to get over your hangover naturally. Nutritionist Jacquie Newson doles out tips on how one can remain fine after a few drinks.

    How To Combat Your Hangover The Natural Way

    Here's How To Live Longer Without Cutting Calorie Intake

    Here's How To Live Longer Without Cutting Calorie Intake
    You may get a long and healthy life simply by balancing your protein and carbohydrate intake, without drastically cutting down your calorie intake.

    Here's How To Live Longer Without Cutting Calorie Intake

    Cancer Cases To Rise 40% By 2030; Aging Population Fuel Increase: Report

    Cancer Cases To Rise 40% By 2030; Aging Population Fuel Increase: Report
    TORONTO — The annual number of new cancer diagnoses in Canada will increase by 40 per cent by 2030, the Canadian Cancer Society predicted in a report released Wednesday.

    Cancer Cases To Rise 40% By 2030; Aging Population Fuel Increase: Report

    Indian-Origin Scientist Latha Venkataraman Creates First Single-Molecule Device

    Indian-Origin Scientist Latha Venkataraman Creates First Single-Molecule Device
    A team of Columbia Engineering researchers led by an Indian-American scientist Latha Venkataraman has created a single-molecule electronic device which has a potential of real-world technological applications for nanoscale devices.

    Indian-Origin Scientist Latha Venkataraman Creates First Single-Molecule Device

    Indo-Canadian Researcher Mick Bhatia And Team Discover How To Turn Blood Into Nerve Cells

    Indo-Canadian Researcher Mick Bhatia And Team Discover How To Turn Blood Into Nerve Cells
    TORONTO — Canadian scientists have discovered how to turn a simple blood sample into a variety of nerve cells, including those that are responsible for pain, numbness and other sensations.

    Indo-Canadian Researcher Mick Bhatia And Team Discover How To Turn Blood Into Nerve Cells