Flu Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Case Of Avian Influenza Confirmed In Kanawha County

The first confirmed case of avian influenza in West Virginia since 2006 has been found in a non-commercial backyard flock in Kanawha County

The first confirmed case of avian influenza in West Virginia since 2006 has been found in a non-commercial backyard flock in Kanawha County.

According to the state Department of Health, public health risk is limited to those who had direct contact with the birds. The department is working with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) to monitor the exposed individuals to prevent transmission of the virus.

“This virus has been previously identified in surrounding states. It is important to note that the risk of transmission to humans is very low and limited to those with direct contact with the birds,” said West Virginia State Health Officer Dr. Matthew Christiansen. “If you have concerns about your exposure or symptoms, you should isolate at home and contact your primary care doctor and local health department.”

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1, is an airborne respiratory virus that spreads easily among chickens through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure.

The virus can be spread in various ways from flock to flock, including by wild birds, through contact with infected poultry, by equipment and on the clothing and shoes of caretakers.

Avian influenza does not affect poultry meat or egg products, which remain safe to eat.

Christiansen reminds residents that the confirmed case does not present an immediate public health concern.

“We will continue to follow this closely and provide updates if the risk changes,” he said.

According to the WVDA, the farm is under quarantine to stop the spread of avian influenza to other flocks in the state and the birds and eggs on the farm will not enter the food system.

West Virginia poultry producers are encouraged to increase biosecurity to prevent the spread of the disease. Producers should take the following actions:

Limit, monitor and record any movement of people, vehicles, or animals on or off the farm.
Permit only essential workers and vehicles to enter the farm to limit the chances of bringing the virus from an outside source.
Avoid visiting other poultry farms and any unnecessary travel off the farm.
Disinfect equipment, vehicles, footwear, and other items that are in contact with flocks.
Keep your flock away from wild or migratory birds, especially waterfowl.
Isolate any ill animals and contact your veterinarian.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

Health Experts Advise Vaccination Ahead Of Respiratory Illness Season

As respiratory illness season ramps up, health experts are encouraging West Virginians to promote health and safety in their communities.

West Virginia University (WVU) health experts are encouraging everyone to practice prevention through vaccination as flu and RSV illness season approaches.

Cases of COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus or RSV are common, especially in the fall and winter.

In September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of the 2023-24 updated Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S.

According to experts like Dr. Gretchen Garofoli, a clinical associate professor at the WVU School of Pharmacy, this new vaccine targets the most common variants of COVID-19 currently circulating.

“It’s important to get those vaccines to prevent those types of diseases, or at least to help us get a milder case if we happen to get sick with them,” Garolfoli said. “That [vaccination] is one of the big things that I’d recommend, but also doing things such as washing our hands, staying away from people when we’re sick, trying not to infect those who are elderly, or who may have compromised immune systems, so really doing our part to try and stop the spread of disease while also keeping ourselves and our families and friends healthy.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics is predicting a similar respiratory illness season compared to last year, with a possibility of more widespread illness and health care system strain.

Individuals ages six months and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. West Virginians are encouraged to use the free, online WV COVID-19 Vaccination Due Date Calculator to determine when they are eligible and due for any COVID-19 shot.

This year, a new preventative medication against Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV) is available for infants.

“For the babies, that’s a little bit different. It’s what we call a monoclonal antibody, so not technically a vaccine, but that helps to offer protection to those littlest folks who tend to have problems when they get RSV at such a young age,” Garolfoli said.

The FDA also approved the use of the first RSV vaccine for people 60 years and older and individuals who are pregnant. According to Garolfoli, vaccine protection is passed on to infants when a pregnant individual becomes vaccinated. The vaccine also protects older adults who are at high risk for severe disease caused by RSV, including life-threatening pneumonia and bronchiolitis.

Finally, an annual flu vaccine is recommended for everyone six months and older, with rare exceptions, and it is particularly important for individuals with conditions that could put them at higher risk for serious complications.

“A lot of people are hesitant with regards to vaccines, and I say that each and every person I talked to has a different reason for being hesitant,” Garolfoli said. “So it’s important for us as health care practitioners, to sit down and really listen to our patients, listen to their concerns, and then be able to address them on an individual basis.”

The CDC estimates during the 2022 to 2023 flu season, there were up to 50 million illnesses, 670,000 hospitalizations and more than 17,000 deaths attributed to flu.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

Flu Cases on Rise in West Virginia

West Virginia health officials say flu cases are on the rise.

Lauren Spadafora is the flu coordinator for the state Department of Health and Human Resources. She told the Charleston Gazette-Mail last week that there has been a steady increase in positive flu tests across the state.

She says there were 15-20 positive tests per week in late November. In late December, the numbers are about 120 per week.

Kanawha-Charleston Health Department spokesman John Law says flu cases there have been “sporadic” so far.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that flu activity is up across the country.

Spadafora said it’s not clear whether West Virginia has reached the peak of its flu season, and she says it’s not too late to get immunized.

West Virginia Health Officials Urge Flu Vaccinations

West Virginia health officials are encouraging providers to ensure their patients over six months old get flu vaccinations.

The Bureau for Public Health plans to kick off National Influenza Vaccination Week on Friday in Charleston with Commissioner Dr. Rahul Gupta and others discussing the importance of getting flu shots and the need for the most vulnerable people to get them.

While seasonal flu outbreaks can occur as early as October, they are usually most prevalent between December and February and can continue as late as May.

Study: Antiviral Medication Beneficial for Pregnant Women Hospitalized with Flu

Pregnant women hospitalized with the flu, especially severe cases, should be treated early with antiviral medication, according to a study published today in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

The study included 865 pregnant women who were hospitalized with flu from 14 states. Sixty-three of these patients, or about 7 percent, had severe illness.

The findings suggest that hospital stays for pregnant women with the flu averaged five days shorter than similar patients treated later. A press release said that past studies have suggested that flu antiviral therapy is safe and beneficial for pregnant women.

The study also suggests that vaccination for pregnant women helps to prevent influenza and associated complications for themselves and their infants. The Centers for Disease Control recommends an annual flu vaccination for everyone six months of age and older.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting, with support from the Benedum Foundation.

Hospitals Deal with Widespread Flu Activity

Earlier this month the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared a flu epidemic in the nation and named West Virginia a state with widespread flu activity. Now some hospitals in the eastern panhandle are taking extra precautions to make sure the virus doesn’t spread in their facilities.

University Healthcare Berkeley Medical Center and Jefferson Medical Center are adjusting policies to account for a flu outbreak. The two hospitals have made changes to patient visitation policies.

The changes include allowing only one permanent guest that is not noticeably sick per patient for decision making and support. No visitors are allowed that are experiencing a fever or cough and some restrictions are being put on visitors under 18. Visitation at both hospitals is now limited to two guests per patient including the permanent guest, between the hours of 9-11 a.m. and 5-7 p.m.

A release from the hospitals says visitor restrictions are temporary, but will remain in place till the hospitals feel comfortable lifting the restrictions.