Flu cases in SC spike over 100 times higher than last year. See where it has spread the most
South Carolina has about 148 times more flu cases than this time last year, state data shows.
Flu season began earlier than usual this year and cases have risen fast ever since. But there are ways to identify and test for flu symptoms early so you can fight it and hopefully get back on your feet more quickly.
There were 4,739 flu cases reported in the state for the week of Nov. 6, the latest data from the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control shows. In total there have been 23,343 cases since the flu season began — approximately 148 times more than the 157 total cases reported over the same period last year.
The latest data also indicates that 10.9% of patient visits to healthcare providers were for flu-like illness, which was above the state’s 3.6% baseline. This time last year, 1.8% of visits were for flu-like illness.
There were 310 flu-associated hospitalizations reported by 46 hospitals, the latest data shows. There have been 1,003 such hospitalizations reported so far this flu season.
To date this season, there have been 11 flu-associated deaths reported in the state. Of those, four were in the Midlands, five were in the Low Country, one was in the Upstate and one was in Pee Dee.
Here are all the counties that reported flu activity above the state baseline for the week of Nov. 6.
Oconee
Pickens
Greenville
Spartanburg
Anderson
York
Laurens
Newberry
Edgefield
Lexington
Richland
Kershaw
Sumter
Orangeburg
Colleton
Charleston
Jasper
Chesterfield
Darlington
Florence
Dillon
Horry
Flu symptoms
If you have a fever, cough, runny nose, body aches, sore throat and chills or fatigue, then chances are you have the flu, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Some people with the flu might have respiratory symptoms without a fever.
Other viruses can cause respiratory illnesses similar to the flu. That makes it impossible to tell for sure if you have the flu based on symptoms alone, the CDC states.
Differences between flu and COVID-19
The flu and COVID-19 are both respiratory illnesses, but caused by different viruses. Since both viruses cause similar symptoms, definitively telling the difference between the two requires testing, the CDC states. Some PCR tests can differentiate between flu and COVID-19 at the same time.
Flu tests available
According to the CDC, there are several tests available to detect flu viruses. The typical tests are called rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDTs), which can provide results in 10 to 15 minutes. However, they might not be as accurate as some other flu tests.
Other flu tests called rapid molecular assays produce results in 15 to 20 minutes and are more accurate than RIDTs.
There are also more accurate flu tests available that must be performed by hospitals or public health laboratories. All of these tests require a health care provider to do them and results could take one to several hours, the CDC says.
The flu shot
DHEC and the CDC recommend that everyone 6 months old and older get vaccinated against the flu. Vaccination to prevent flu is particularly important for people who are at increased risk of complications from the virus, including young children, adults aged 50 years and older, pregnant women and people with certain chronic medical conditions, DHEC says.
For details on where to get flu shots in South Carolina, click here.
