Flu is gaining foothold in Northeast, Walgreens reports

While the flu continues to appear most prevalent in the deep South, influenza illness appears to be gaining a foothold in the Northeast, according to the latest Walgreens Flu Index released Wednesday. Outside of the South, Connecticut, New Jersey and North Carolina are seeing significant gains in flu activity.

Texas markets, however, still dominated the top 10 designated market areas with flu activity for the week ended Jan. 27. The top 10 markets were:

1. El Paso, Texas (Las Cruces, N.M.);


2. Corpus Christi, Texas;


3. Waco-Temple-Bryan, Texas;


4. Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas;


5. Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, Texas;


6. Tyler-Longview (Lufkin & Nacogdoches), Texas;


7. Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa City & Dubuque, Iowa;


8. Ft. Smith-Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark.;


9. San Antonio; and


10. Chattanooga, Tenn.

The top 10 markets with flu activity gains for the period were:

1. El Paso, Texas (Las Cruces, N.M.);


2. Chattanooga, Tenn.;


3. Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa City & Dubuque, Iowa;


4. Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas;


5. Tulsa, Okla.;


6. Ft. Smith-Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark.;


7. San Antonio;


8. Wilmington, N.C.;


9. Joplin, Mo.-Pittsburg, Kan.; and


10. Austin, Texas.

The top 10 states with flu activity gains were:

1. Oklahoma;


2. Texas;


3. Connecticut;


4. Nebraska;


5. New Jersey;


6. North Carolina;


7. Iowa;


8. Arkansas;


9. Deleware; and


10. Kansas.

The Walgreens Flu Index is a weekly report developed to provide state- and market-specific information regarding flu activity, and ranks those states and markets experiencing the highest incidences of influenza across the country. The Flu Index provides insight by showing which cities or metropolitan areas are experiencing the most incidences of influenza each week based on Index methodology. The data does not measure actual levels or severity of flu activity.

The Walgreens Flu Index is compiled using weekly retail prescription data for antiviral medications used to treat influenza across Walgreens and Duane Reade locations nationwide, including Walgreens locations in Puerto Rico. The data is analyzed at state and geographic market levels to measure absolute impact and incremental change of antiviral medications on a per store average basis, and does not include markets in which Walgreens has fewer than 10 retail locations.