Health officials say flu cases continue a spike in Wisconsin

The number of flu cases continues to rise in Wisconsin, according to state health officials.

THE WORST FLUSEASONS FORCHILDREN... IN ADECADE.YESTERDAYWISCONSINREPORTED ITSSECOND PEDIATRICFLU DEATH OF THESEASON...AS FAR AS ALLAGES...NBC26'S JULIANAFALK IS LIVE NOW..WITH WHAT YOU NEEDTO KNOW ABOUT THISFLU SEASON RIGHTNOW.JULIANA?STATE HEALTHOFFICIALS SAY THATFOR ALL AGES...THERE WAS A SPIKE INCASES OF THE FLURIGHT AROUND THEHOLIDAYS..

AND THENTHERE WAS ADECREASE.NOW THOUGH, A BIGJUMP IN THOSECASES.IN MULTIPLEHOSPITALS, THEYHAVE THESESTATIONS... TO KEEPEVERYONE ASHEALTHY ASPOSSIBLE,ESPECIALLY WHEN ITCOMES TO THE FLU."SO FAR THIS FLUSEASON, WE'RESEEING ABOUT 100PATIENTS A WEEK WITHMOSTLY INFLUENZA B."DR. NELS ROSE, ANEMERGENCYMEDICINE PHYSICIANAT BAYCARE CLINICSAYS THEY'RE SEEINGTHE FLU IN ALLAGES..FROM JUST ACOUPLE WEEKS OLDTO 90 YEAR OLDPATIENTS."BEING IN THE THICKOF THINGS, ITCERTAINLY SEEMS ALITTLE MOREAGGRESSIVE THISYEAR THAN IT HAS INTHE PAST."AND OTHERHOSPITALS HAVEBEEN SEEING THAT,TOO."SO FAR THIS YEAR,WE'VE SEEN 260 CASESOF FLU AT ST.VINCENT."KEN NELSON, THECHIEF NURSINGOFFICER FOR HSHSST.

VINCENT AND ST.MARY'S HOSPITALSSAYS THAT'SCOMPARED TO THE 37CASES THEY SAW ATTHIS TIME LAST YEAR.THEY'VE ALSO SEEN40 FLU-RELATEDHOSPITALIZTIONSCOMPARED TO LASTYEARS 16 AT THISTIME."WITH THESE HIGHNUMBERS, IT'S CAUSEFOR CONCERN WE'VEHAD 31 DEATHS SO FARIN WISCONSIN, 2 OFWHICH HAVE BEENCHILDREN."THE WISCONSINDEPARTMENT OFHEALTH SERVICESSAYS THEY BELIEVEWE AREAPPROACHING THEPEAK OF FLU SEASON."I WOULD SAY THATMAYBE THETRANSMISSION IS ALITTLE BIT HIGHERBECAUSE PEOPLE ARETENDING TO AVOIDINFLUENZAVACCINATION WHICHWE KNOW IS HELPFUL."HEALTH OFFICIALSCONTINUE TOENCOURAGE PEOPLETO GET THE FLUVACCINE, REMEMBERBASIC HYGIENE, ANDSTAY HOME IF YOUHAVE FLU-LIKESYMPTOMS.AND A REMINDERTHAT HSHS ST.VINCENT, ST.

MARYS,ST.

NICHOLAS AND ST.CLARE MEMORIALHOSPITALS STILLHAVE VISITORRESTIRICTIONS FORCHILDREN UNDER THEAGE OF 12..

AND ARETRYING TO LIMIT THENUMBER OF ADULTSTHAT ARE VISITING ASWELL.JULIANA FALKNBC26.THE FORMER MAYOR