Springtime flu lingers in N.J., Delaware

The end of wintry weather has not brought an end to the flu season in New Jersey.

 

Type B flu is different than the winter strain, and it’s not usual for it to cause problems in the early spring, said state epidemiologist Dr. Tina Tan.

However, more flu outbreaks are being reported throughout New Jersey now, and she’s not sure why.

Health officials last week also reported widespread flulike illnesses in five other Northeast states, including Delaware.

“Flu is a very unpredictable bug, as we all know,” Tan said Monday. “So what we can do is just continue to monitor the activity and encourage people — because influenza is still circulating — if they haven’t gotten the vaccine, it’s not too late to get the vaccine.”

Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the flu season started in December and peaked by mid-January, and most of the illnesses were swine flu.

There’s no way to know how long the springtime flu activity will persist, and a flu shot now can still be of benefit for people with chronic health problems that put them at risk of serious complications if they contract the virus.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.