HELENA — Despite a much milder winter so far this year, flu and other respiratory illness cases continue to rise and have significantly peaked in the last few weeks.
“There is COVID in the community, there is RSV in the community, and there is flu in the community,” Shelly Maag, the Lewis and Clark public health nurse supervisor, said.
Lewis and Clark Public Health says that so far, the numbers are not much different from last year when it comes to flu, but in recent weeks, they have seen around 70 cases per week with multiple hospitalizations.
Maag noted, “Usually around the holidays, Christmas-ish, we start seeing that spike in cases, and it seems to climb through February.”
But there are likely many more people who are not included in the data, “there are a lot of people that get sick, stay home, get well and move on, and so you know if we have 70 some in one week, there is a lot more out there,” Maag shared.
A difference public health has seen this year is that there are more middle-aged people getting intense symptoms requiring medical care.
Lewis and Clark Public Health recommends people get vaccinated, but say there are other ways people can help stay healthy as well.
“Exercising, eating well, and staying home when you’re sick because number one, you are going to get rest and help yourself heal, but you will also prevent spread to others who may have serious health complications that getting flu, COVID, or RSV could really impact,” Maag said.
You can visit the respiratory illness dashboard for Lewis and Clark Public Health to stay up to date on illness in our community.
