Flu killed and hospitalized more people in the United States last winter than any seasonal influenza in decades, according to new data released Thursday. It’s the most detailed picture of the devastating reach of the respiratory virus, which sickened millions of people as overwhelmed hospitals pitched tents to treat patients. As a new flu season […]
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Posted inLocal & State
Worst epidemic in the history of Maine
A hundred years ago, as winter gave way to spring in Kansas, a particularly virulent strain of influenza struck some overcrowded Army camps, filling the infirmaries and straining the ability of doctors and nurses to cope. Few outsiders noticed and most of the men recovered. As quickly as the flu struck, it faded. But when […]
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Posted inLocal & State
Peace be with you, but use sanitizer: Handshake back at mass
PORTLAND (AP) — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland says it’s OK to shake hands at Mass again, though churchgoers should still be mindful of the presence of influenza. The diocese, which includes all of Maine, announced protocols to avoid spreading flu in January. Those included suspending sharing of consecrated wine during communion and holding […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Three new flu deaths in Maine, but latest data indicate cases on decline
Influenza cases declined for a third consecutive week in Maine, signaling that the worst of flu season could over. The state had 636 new flu cases for the week ending on Feb. 24, for a total of 5,625 for the 2017-18 season, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Flu is far […]
Posted inLocal & State
Flu cases in Maine jump 63% from previous week
Portland Press Herald graphicLast week saw a dramatic rise in the number of new flu cases and hospitalizations in Maine, adding to what already has been one of the worst years in nearly a decade. There were 876 new cases of influenza, a 63 percent increase over the previous week, as well as 120 new […]
Posted inLocal & State
Flu patients cram into Portland emergency departments
Emergency rooms at Portland’s two largest hospitals were crammed with patients Monday, a surge that hospital officials attributed to the state’s influenza outbreak. By late Monday, there were more than 115 people seeking treatment at Maine Medical Center’s emergency department — a number that was above average, said Dr. Mike Baumann, Chief of MMC’s Emergency […]
Posted inNation / World
Florida nurse sick of flu season: ‘Wash your stinking hands’
PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — A nurse’s Facebook rant about the “cesspool of funky flu” in emergency room waiting areas is getting a lot of attention. “Wash your stinking hands,” Katherine Lockler says in a six-minute video that’s been viewed 4.8 million times since she recorded it in frustration after a 12-hour shift during this particularly nasty flu […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, sj-web
Principals: Local schools not yet hit hard by flu outbreak
Farwell Elementary School second-grader Myles Arneault points to his experiment partner, Parker Crafts, and says, “You are going to wipe the toilet seat, not me.” With influenza cases widespread, second-graders in Abby Dix’s class were learning how germs spread and what they can do to avoid getting sick. (Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal) LEWISTON — Principals are […]
Posted inNation / World
This flu season is on track to be one of the worst in 15 years
[media-credit name=”AP graphic” align=”aligncenter” width=”967″][/media-credit] This flu season is on track to be one of the worst in 15 years, with nearly 12,000 people needing to be hospitalized, federal health officials reported Friday. The latest weekly report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the season, which started early and hit many […]
Posted inLocal & State, sj-web
Influenza cases accelerating in Maine
Reported flu cases continued to accelerate in Maine during the past week, and the numbers have yet to peak. The Maine Center for Disease Control on Wednesday reported 531 new cases for the week ending Jan. 20, with 1,749 total cases for this flu season. The previous week, through Jan. 13, there were 391 new […]