Although flu activity remains high across Tennessee, the number of reported cases in Hamilton County has fallen for the past three consecutive weeks, raising hopes that this year's remorseless season may be starting to relent.
At Erlanger Hospital, which has treated a total of 1,427 patients exhibiting flu-like illnesses since
Oct.
1, the number of such cases for the week ending Feb. 24 – the most recent period for which figures are available – was just 100.
That’s significantly less than half the 226 reported just four weeks earlier when the disease was at its peak, according to available data.
At Parkridge Health System in Chattanooga, where the number of cases peaked at 158 during the week ofJan. 7, marketing and public relations manager Jamie Lawson said the average number of weekly cases has been slashed almost 50 percent.
“Although still a bit higher as compared to averages in past years, we are starting to see a downward trend in new confirmed cases,” Mr. Lawson said. “System total for this flu season is at 1,074 as of 2/24 (which averages) to about 80 cases per week over the past two weeks.
“That’s good news,” he concluded.
So was the information provided by Tom Bodkin at the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department.
“The data voluntarily reported to us seems to indicate that the peak is waning,” Mr. Bodkin said.