CENTRAL COAST, Calif. -- With the
flu epidemic sweeping the nation, 47 states are reporting widespread illness.
That's up from 41 yesterday.
More than 2,200 people have been hospitalized and 21
children killed.
California is one of the few
states left standing during this outbreak.
The numbers across San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara
County are relatively low and health officials hope to keep it that way.
In Santa Barbara County, out of
403 patients tested, 22 reported flu-like symptoms.
So far, one person has died from
the disease. This is based on flu season starting from October 2012 through
January 2013.
In San Luis Obispo County, one
person is in the intensive care unit for influenza.
Health officials say in the month of December only 3.3%
of people were sent to the emergency room for flu-like symptoms. That's up 1.2%
from December of last year.
Since the flu is not a disease
that doctors are mandated to report, these counties don't have exact rates but
for now they are only reporting a slight increase.
There are website online where
you can enter your zip code to track flu reports http://www.tamiflu.com/flu-to-dos and
locate flu clinics http://flushot.healthmap.org/ near
you.
