Flu on the rise in the Flathead

The Flathead City-County Health Department reported an increase in influenza cases over the holiday season.

According to Lisa Dennison, the department’s infectious disease prevention and control supervisor, the department had 37 reported cases last week. That brings the season total to 81.

She said the uptick was expected, as the department typically sees an increase in reported flu cases around the holidays as people travel and move in and out of the valley.

Mellody Sharpton, spokeswoman for Kalispell Regional Healthcare, said in an email the hospital had seven total flu-related hospitalizations since November.

While the number of reported flu cases is higher than last season, it is still lower than some seasons past, Dennison said. But she added this season is unusual in the high number of type B influenza cases this early in the season.

She said the flu season “still has not peaked” and encouraged people to get vaccinated as soon as possible.