With the cold and flu season upon us, Arizona is already witnessing a spike in respiratory illness cases. According to AZ Family, the state has reported over 600 confirmed cases of the flu since the start of the season on September 29. “We’re getting into that season right now,” Dr. Jeremy Driscoll, an emergency room doctor at HonorHealth, told AZ Family, noting the increase in cases upon the arrival of October.
Data from the Arizona Department of Health Services confirms a concerning trend: flu numbers are soaring higher than last year’s figures, and this uptick isn’t limited to just the elderly demographic. Dr. Driscoll highlighted that the 19 to 49-year-old age group accounts for 37% of all flu cases so far. “It’s pretty much all ages. I would say mostly adults,” Driscoll told AZ Family.
Moving forward, authorities are taking action to mitigate the spread. The Maricopa County Health Department, for instance, is offering free flu shot events throughout the Valley for the month. The significance of these preventive measures, according to ABC 15 reporting that approximately half of Arizona’s flu cases are emanating from this county alone…