-By Warner Todd Huston
Influenza cases were reported in every corner of the United States last year, killing at least 6 children. Some of the cases have been linked to the dreaded H1N1 strain of the flu, a strain that has killed 284,000 people across the world since 2009.
Thus far in this current flu season, Texas has been hardest hit. 25 Texans have died so far. North Carolina has also seen a large outbreak with 13 deaths.
Symptoms of the flu can be mild or severe and hit the youngest and oldest citizens the hardest. Take a sore throat, weakness, headache and aches and pains seriously. Other symptoms include joint and muscle pain and itchiness of the eyes.
Of course, the main problem is that the flu presents like so many other less than fatal illnesses. So many people have the flu and don’t even know it.
According to the DailyMail, “The CDC has documented 1,583 laboratory-confirmed cases of the flu since Oct. 1, 2013.”
“The spectrum of illness observed thus far in the 2013-14 season has ranged from mild to severe and is consistent with that of other influenza seasons,” the CDC has said.
Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis told the media, “Based on what we’re seeing so far, this year will be a very different picture than last year.”
“We fully expect to see many more cases in younger children and middle-aged adults. Mark my word, by the end of next week we’ll probably see some fear and panic as it starts to hit kids,” Osterholm said.
Take your precautions, folks, and keep a close eye on your grandparents and your children. This year’s strain may be a doozie.
(This article previously posted at MrConservative.com)
____________
“The only end of writing is to enable the reader better to enjoy life, or better to endure it.”
–Samuel Johnson
Follow Warner Todd Huston on:
Twitter
Facebook
Tumblr
Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer. He has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and before that he wrote articles on U.S. history for several small American magazines. His political columns are featured on many websites such as Andrew Breitbart’s BigGovernment.com, BigHollywood.com, and BigJournalism.com, as well as RightWingNews.com, MrConservative.com, CanadaFreePress.com, StoptheACLU.com, Wizbang.com, among many, many others. Huston has also appeared on Fox News, Fox Business Network, CNN, and many local TV shows as well as numerous talk radio shows throughout the country.
For a full bio, please CLICK HERE.