SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The bug is biting. Flu cases continue to climb nationwide and right here at home, and San Diego doctors said we’re not immune to the trend.
Flu cases have increased year by year and this season, the peak reached 3,567 cases, the highest its been in about five years, according to data from San Diego County.
The numbers show that during and after the pandemic, cases continue to rise, and local doctors, like Dr. Nick Saade with Sharp Memorial Hospital, said the data reflects what he’s seen too.
“The short answer is yes, we are seeing more cases than recent years,” said Dr. Saade. “There’s definitely been kind of like a more rapid increase in the number of cases and a larger number of cases around this time when you compare it to the last four or five years or so.”
Dr. Saade said trends are going back to where they were before COVID. That’s because during the pandemic, many were taking measures to protect themselves with masks, washing hands, and social distancing.
“But when you look back further than that, you find that the cases and the rates of increase of cases are probably more consistent with what you saw in the pre-pandemic levels,” said Dr. Saade.