County and state health officials on Friday confirmed Pima Countyâs first case of flu for the 2016-17 season.
The case was identified after confirmatory testing at the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory in Phoenix, officials said, The patient was an adult who visited their doctor after becoming ill, did not require hospitalization and has since recovered.
This person had not traveled out of the county in the time leading up to the illness, which confirms the virus is beginning to circulate in our community, officials said. Reported cases represent a small proportion of true cases, since most people donât go to the doctor when they are ill and doctors are not expected to run laboratory tests on everyone with influenza-like symptoms, state health officials say.
Seven flu cases have been confirmed already in other parts of the state â five in Maricopa County and two in Coconino County. Most of the cases confirmed to date have been in people over the age of 65.
Getting vaccinated now will provide protection for the entire flu season. It takes two weeks for the vaccine to be fully effective. The flu season usually peaks between December and March.
âThis is our first indication that flu is circulating in our area. If there are people that have been putting off getting their flu shot, now is the time,â Dr. Francisco GarcÃa, director of the Pima County Health Department, said in a statement.
âThe flu vaccine is safe, simple, and the single most important way to protect ourselves and the people around us now that flu season has begun.â
Getting a flu shot is not just about self protection. Since infants younger than 6 months are not able to be vaccinated, they are particularly vulnerable. In the 2015-16 flu season, there were 85 pediatric flu deaths in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
Other vulnerable groups are people over the age of 65 and people with compromised immune systems.
Hospitals are increasingly requiring their employees to get flu shots, and the federal government is encouraging all health-care workers to get vaccinated.
The CDC recommends that everyone six months and older get the flu vaccine. Last season, Pima County reported more than 3,400 confirmed cases.
Flu viruses spread from person to person through coughing, sneezing, touching something with the flu virus on it, and in some cases through the air.
While the flu shot is the best way to prevent the flu â there are other important steps to take to prevent getting sick or spreading germs, including washing your hands, covering your cough and staying home when you are sick
The easiest way to get a flu shot is to visit your health-care provider. Many pharmacies and health clinics also offer the vaccine by appointment or walk-in.
Pima County Health Department can also provide vaccines for children and adults at their clinics. Find a clinic near you by going to pima.gov/health
