The state monitors influenza-like illness during the flu season. Influenza-like illness is a temperature of 100 degrees or greater and cough or sore throat. Seventy-six health care providers statewide report the number of people they are seeing with these symptoms weekly. Based on those reports, public health experts determine how the flu is progressing across the North Carolina.
The latest report is for the week ending March 22. As of Thursday, health care providers have reported that 1.3 percent of patients seen that week had influenza-like illness, down from 2.0 percent in the week ending March 8 and 2.9 percent in the week before that. The season high was 5.9 percent in the week ending Feb. 23.
Although the flu season is on the decline, public health officials are still urging people to follow these simple tips for preventing spread of the flu:
- Wash your hands, wash your hands, and wash your hands.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes.
- If you have flu symptoms, seek medical care. There are prescription drugs that can relieve flu symptoms.
- If you are sick, stay home.
