Cough-Cold and Flu

DEERFIELD, Ill.  — The Walgreens Flu Index for the week of Jan. 22 is picking up on significant rising incidence throughout the Lone Star State — the three markets with the greatest amount of flu incidence gains in the past week are all in Texas.

According to the Texas Influenza Surveillance Report, for the week ending Jan. 14, the percentage of doctor and hospital visits for influenza-like illnesses appoached 6%.  

For the week of Jan. 22, the top 10 markets as measured by flu activity were:

ATLANTA  — After a one-week decline in incidence, influenza activity climbed back to 3.3%, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday, where 3.3% of patient visits reported through the U.S. Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network were due to influenza-like illness. The increase in the percentage of patient visits for ILI may be influenced in part by a reduction in routine healthcare visits during the holidays, the CDC suggested, as has occurred in previous seasons.

This percentage is above the national baseline of 2.2%.

DEERFIELD, Ill.  — The Walgreens Flu Index is tracking a significant uptick in influenza across the Lone Star state, according to the company's weekly report.

The top 10 markets as measured by flu activity for the week of Jan. 15 are:

WASHINGTON  — The Consumer Healthcare Products Association on Thursday released the results of a recent poll of registered voters in Michigan showing they are strongly opposed to legislation that would require a prescription for over-the-counter cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine.

TORONTO — Datapult on Wednesday launched the Achu app on both Google Play and iTunes platforms to be used in conjunction with a Fitbit in monitoring a person's health through cold and flu season.

BRIDGEWATER, N.J.  — Matrixx Initiatives on Tuesday launched ColdSense,an iPhone app designed to help evaluate a user's potential exposure to the common cold. The app utilizes smartphone sensors to actively listen for coughs and sneezes around a user to determine potential risk of exposure, and combines this with multiple other indicators to create a constantly updating personalized risk profile.

ATLANTA  — Has the 2016-2017 influenza season already peaked?

A little more five weeks into the season, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported the national weighted average of patient visits for influenza-like illness for the week ended Jan. 7 dropped slightly from 3.3% to 3.2%. For the last 15 seasons, the average duration of a flu season has been 13 weeks, the CDC reported.

DEERFIELD, Ill.  — The latest Walgreens Flu Index issued Thursday recorded sharp upticks in several U.S. markets, including those markets in Utah, Mississippi, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.