Deadly flu season will continue to be a threat

January 17, 2018 3:58 pm

By: Chloe Leshner

cleshner@abc6.com

@cleshnerabc6

PROVIDENCE (WLNE) — So far, 295 Rhode Islanders have been hospitalized with the flu and 7 people have died from the flu this season. Emergency rooms have been clogged with patients and state health officials say it will continue to be a threat for weeks to come.

It is a very active flu season in Rhode Island and across the nation and health officials are warning it’s not over yet.

"We’re at widespread flu right now which means there’s a tremendous amount of flu in the state we don’t know when we’re going to come down off of that tier," says Joseph Wendelken with the Department of Health.

The Director of the state health department was 1 of 3 doctors participating in a national conference call today discussing the deadly flu season. She says the emergency rooms at Miriam and Rhode Island Hospitals have been especially full and they’re working with EMS to send as many people as possible to other hospitals.

"We will continue to ramp up that message and work closely with them as well as the hospital association in Rhode Island to proactively engage the hospitals that aren’t as full as the ones that are bursting at the seams," says Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott.

And because the flu season started early this year, health officials thought there would be a turnaround after this week but now, they’re not as hopeful. They’re urging people to get treated as soon as they start feeling symptoms.

"A lot of times its probably best treated by a primary care provider or urgent care walk in clinic because there’s not going to be the lines there that we’re seeing in our emergency departments right now," says Wendelken.

Health officials are also stressing it is not too late to get vaccinated. Flu season usually lasts into April.