Flu cases are soaring across the South. But what about on the Mississippi Coast?
Every day, patients with coughs, fevers and sore throats walk into Mississippi clinics complaining — sometimes miserably — of sickness. But despite soaring flu cases across the South, health experts say case numbers are normal on the Coast — for now.
“We’ve maybe had one flu today,” said Teresa Meece, a nurse practitioner who works at clinics across the Coast for Memorial Health System. This week, she’s seen cases of the flu, COVID-19 and RSV. But flu cases here aren’t any higher than last year. “It’s not crazy bad,” she said.
Still, flu cases are soaring around the country, and the numbers are worst in the South. Cases in Louisiana rose in December, and Alabama also recorded a stark jump in flu-like sickness. Southern states from Mississippi to North Carolina had “very high” caseloads at the end of December, according to data from the CDC.
But on the Coast, only around 6% of patients are reporting flu-like symptoms, according to the latest numbers from the state Department of Health. That is far below other regions like the Delta, where 42% of patients reported flu-like symptoms in the end of December. The statewide rate of patients reporting those symptoms was 10% at the end of the year.
“The Coast is well below the state average,” said Greg Flynn, director of external affairs and media relations for the Mississippi State Department of Health.
Which doesn’t mean the risk is gone. Harrison County had two flu outbreaks between October and the end of December, and Jackson County had one, the state’s data shows. The exact date of those outbreaks is unclear, Flynn said.
CDC numbers show flu cases are increasing in Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties, and Mississippi confirmed its second pediatric flu death this season on Thursday. The patient was under 18 and did not get a flu vaccine, the state Department of Health said in a news release, but the agency did not release details about the patient’s age or location for privacy reasons. The state’s first pediatric flu death this season was in November.
“We highly encourage people to get a flu shot,” Interim State Epidemiologist Kathryn Taylor said in the release. “A vaccination won’t necessarily keep you from getting the flu, although it can reduce your risk of infection and is the best protection to keep you from a severe outcome.”
The people most often reporting flu symptoms are between the ages of 5 and 24, the state’s data shows. That age group is also most likely to skip vaccination. About 42% of Mississippi children got vaccinated for the flu in 2022 — the lowest percentage in the country. About 39% of adults got a flu vaccine last season — the fifth lowest rate in the country.
Flu numbers also appear worse than COVID-19 cases in Mississippi — in reverse of national trends, Flynn said. COVID-19 cases across the country have outpaced the flu, but in Mississippi, he said, “we are the opposite.”
Do I have the flu? Here are symptoms to watch for
People with the flu may get a fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches or feel fatigued. Symptoms usually appear fast. Some patients can get vomiting or diarrhea, but the CDC says that symptom is more common in children than adults.
“If it feels a little worse than a normal cold,” Flynn said, “you should go see your doctor.”
Meece said the best way to prevent serious illness is to get a flu shot. Good hand washing and wearing a mask around sick people can stop the spread, she said, and taking vitamin D3 for the immune system can also help.
Patients who test positive should also avoid public places, infants and anyone who has a compromised immune system, Meece said.
This story was originally published January 12, 2024 at 5:00 AM.