Marshall Browning: Flu season will peak later

According to Marshall Browning Hospital infection prevention nurse manager Sue Dixon a mild December helped curb the outbreak of influenza in the region.

According to Dixon, "Influenza is going to peak much later this season than last year."

"Illinois is still listed as having only "sporadic" flu cases so far. Marshall Browning Hospital has had only two patients test positive for Flu A and Flu B so far this flu season. Influenza A and B are the seasonal flu viruses that the vaccine protects against. As of December 26, there had been four pediatric deaths in the United States associated with influenza-like illness compared to 17 pediatric deaths at that time in the 2014 -2015 flu season," she said.

Health officials say reports of influenza are down this winter in across Illinois compared with recent years.

Data from the Illinois Department of Public Health show that from Dec. 20 to Dec. 26, there were 49 flu-related intensive care unit admissions and two outbreaks.

During roughly the same time last year, there were 323 ICU admissions and 70 outbreaks statewide.

The Chicago Tribune reports that December's higher-than-average temperatures helped keep the flu season in check.

Health officials say flu reports are down in part because the influenza virus lives longer in the cold.

Flu season had already peaked by this time in Chicago in the last three years. But state and local health officials say it's expected to peak this year in January or February instead.

Brad Galli of the Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy of Du Quoin said Thursday there is still time to get a flu vaccination for it to be effective.