New data from the Alabama Department of Public Health shows viral respiratory disease-related emergency department visits jumped more than 100 percent statewide in just one week, between Dec. 13 and Dec. 20. The flu accounted for most of that increase, rising from just over 2 percent of emergency room visits to more than 6 percent.
Health officials say the surge comes as Alabama heads into the heart of winter — a time when flu activity traditionally intensifies. This follows the believed flu-related death of an 11-year-old child from Hueytown.
“Flu activity is very high across the state right now, and we consider that to probably be continuing for the next couple of weeks,” said Dr. Wes Stubblefield, medical officer with the Alabama Department of Public Health…