Flu incidence picking up out West, Walgreens Flu Index finds
DEERFIELD, Ill. - While flu incidence has been slowly building across the South the past few weeks, the flu has really taken hold in the West, according to the latest Walgreens Flu Index for the week of Jan. 17 released Thursday. Five of the top 10 markets with flu activity are located west of Texas.
The top 10 markets ranked by flu incidence for the week of Jan. 17 were:
Harlingen – Weslaco-Brownsville – McAllen, Texas;
Miami – Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.;
Las Vegas;
Tucson (Sierra Vista), Ariz.;
Tyler – Longview (Lufkin & Nacogdoches), Texas;
El Paso, Texas (Las Cruces, N.M.);
Phoenix (Prescott), Ariz.;
Los Angeles;
Beaumont – Port Arthur, Texas; and
Palm Springs, Calif.
The top 10 markets ranked by flu activity gains for the week of Jan. 17 were:
Harlingen – Weslaco – Brownsville – McAllen, Texas;
Tucson (Sierra Vista), Ariz.;
Shreveport, La.;
San Diego;
Knoxville, Tenn.;
Memphis, Tenn.;
Honolulu;
La Crosse – Eau Claire, Wis.;
Monterey – Salinas, Calif.; and
Rockford, Ill.
The Walgreens Flu Index is a weekly report developed to provide state- and market-specific information, and ranking of those experiencing the highest incidences of influenza across the country. The Flu Index does not provide data measuring actual levels or severity of flu activity, but rather, illustrates which populations in those markets where Walgreens is located are experiencing the most incidences each week based on Index methodology.
With the ability to generate hyper-local data across most U.S. markets, the Flu Index is an online, interactive resource allowing anyone to search and find information regarding the most current state of influenza in their community.