3 things doctors want you to know about the flu in Oklahoma

Local health officials said on Wednesday that they are seeing flu cases skyrocket in the Oklahoma City metro area. 

“We've seen a big spike in the number of influenza cases in Oklahoma right now,” OU Health Sciences said. 

Oklahoma ranks second out of all 50 states for the highest flu rates. 

That’s according to the Walgreens Flu Index, which is based on weekly prescription data for antiviral flu medications. 

The state’s website tracks data on viruses like COVID-19, Influenza, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

“The light color is Influenza A. The dark color is Influenza B. You can see Influenza A dominates,” Dr. Dale Bratzler, Dean of Hudson College of Public Health, said referring to the chart below. 

He said the flu is transmitted by breathing in droplets that come out of an infected person’s mouth or by touching surfaces where those droplets have landed and then transferring them to one's mouth, nose or eyes. 

One week jump in cases: 23 to 535 

Dr. Bratzler called it a “23-fold increase” in positive flu cases. 

The Hudson College of Public Health said it saw 23 cases in the first week of December and 535 a week later. 

He attributed the rise to more people getting tested and testing positive.

“It's cold. People are indoors [for] Christmas events; New Year’s events. You bring lots of people together. All it takes is two or three people in that room to be infected,” Dr. Bratzler said.

People 65 and older are at greatest risk for hospitalization. 

The majority of recent hospitalizations occurred in people 65 and older, Dr. Bratzler explained. 

"So, it's incredibly important for our elderly to make sure that they're being vaccinated. That includes nursing homes where it can spread like wildfire from one patient to another,” he added. 

Other groups at risk, Dr. Bratzler said, include people who are immunocompromised, like cancer patients or people who take immunosuppressive drugs for underlying diseases or chronic illness. He recommended anyone who gets sick stay home.