Been down with the flu for the better part of two weeks now. Recovered a bit only for a relapse... or maybe it was a different strain. Feeling a lot better right now but so behind in the to-do list but i guess it could be worse.
I had to read that headline a couple of times just to make sure i was reading it right. That's an approximate 4,000 people every week in the US. Crazy and it's something that isn't very common unless a new flu strain comes along and we haven't developed any sort of immune response to the virus. Sadly, the number of deaths is expected to increase as we haven't reached peak flu season.
Most deaths caused by flu are limited to those with pre-existing conditions, the very young or the elderly. That said, however, it is possible for healthy people to develop serious complications.
Here's how a simple flu gets dangerous. First, you have a lot more mucus production, which sets you up for a bacterial infection like pneumonia. The infection then spreads to the bloodstream, which can then result in a deadly multi-organ infection.
Pneumonia itself isn't fun... especially if you still have to show up for work as a terrible boss once made me do. Ugh.
Every year, the U.S. see 3,000 to 46,000 deaths per year from the flu. While that's a lot of deaths in itself, if there's ever a pandemic, the number of deaths could be in the hundreds of thousands, or even millions.
| Pandemic | Year | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Asiatic / Russian Flu | 1889-1890 | 1 million |
| Spanish Flu | 1918-1920 | 20 million to 100 million |
| Asian Flu | 1957-1958 | 1 to 1.5 million |
| Hong Kong Flu | 1968 | 1 million |
| 2009 Flu | 2009 | 18,000 to 285,000 |
If there's any consolation from those numbers, it is that we seem to have gotten better at managing a flu outbreak.
Almost everyone seems to be down with the flu and it's probably impossible to avoid getting it at some point. Get plenty of rest, drink lots of water and please see a doctor. While i have no idea about the efficacy of vaccines, for the love of god, please don't try to pray the flu away.
Title image: healthyprepared.com
Spanish Flu Hospital: Wiki
