Hospitals, doctor’s offices and health clinics in Colorado are being slammed by flu cases this season, and long-term-care facilities that aid seniors have been hit particularly hard.
Through last Saturday, the most recent data available, influenza outbreaks had been reported in 68 assisted-living facilities statewide, the highest number since Colorado health officials started tracking centers in the 2004-05 season. The previous record was 55, in 2007-08, state health officials said Friday.
“This is the highest number of long-term-care outbreaks reported, the highest one we have seen,” said Dr. Wendy Bamberg, a medical epidemiologist with the state Department of Public Health and Environment.
, with more than 1,200 cases resulting in hospitalizations in 40 counties and two fatal cases involving children.
A child in Adams County died of influenza this week, and another child died earlier in Larimer County, state health officials said.
“It has been a , unfortunately,” Bamberg said.
The current outbreak, which is predominately influenza A, or H3N2, has prompted St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction, as a precautionary measure, to encourage anyone who is ill not to visit patients there. Also, visitors under age 18 are prohibited from patient rooms and the emergency department.
In Denver, the number of daily patients going to the Rocky Mountain Youth Clinic has risen, and influenza is driving the increase.
“In the last two weeks, we’ve seen it kind of jumping off the charts,” said Kristen Maddoux, a physician’s assistant. “We’ve been really, really busy.”
At Denver Health Medical Center, the number of patients admitted with influenza rose during the holidays.
“We’re seeing more people in need of hospitalization,” said Dr. Connie Price, chief of infectious disease at Denver Health. “What is circulating is a strain that is normally associated with severe flu seasons. Certainly, we are being hit hard.”
The highest season for flu-related hospitalizations statewide was 2,041 in 2009, during an H1N1 pandemic season.
The next two highest seasons for hospitalizations, according to state health department records, were 2013-14, with 1,759, and 2012-13, with 1,530.
This season is shaping up to be among Colorado’s worst.
“Cases are still going up. We’re anticipating this will continue,” Price said. “We might see it peak in a week or so, maybe start quieting down.”
Meanwhile, the severity and volume of cases have passed the flu along to some staffers, including doctors, nurses and assistants.
“Staff illness is paralleling what is happening in the community,” Price said.
At Children’s Hospital Colorado, on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, influenza cases this season started ramping up in early December, said Dr. Michael DiStefano.
Cases at Children’s leveled off, however, going into Christmas.
“Kids on Christmas vacation were not commingling, not sharing the flu virus (with other students),” DiStefano said. “We hope it will continue to tail off.”
Kieran Nicholson: 303-954-1822, knicholson@ denverpost.com or twitter.com/kierannicholson
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Colorado’s worst flu years
The highest seasons for influenza-related hospitalizations statewide:
2009: 2,041
2013-14: 1,759
2012-13: 1,530
