Flu still strong in Texas, but Tennessee is next

U.S. markets in the South top list for flu activity gains this week, according to the latest Walgreens Flu Index released Wednesday.

For the week ended Jan. 13, the top 10 markets experiencing flu activity gains were:

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


2. Corpus Christi, Texas;


3. Knoxville, Tenn.;


4. Tri-Cities, Tenn.-Va.;


5. Nashville, Tenn.;


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


7. Montgomery-Selma, Ala.;


8. Chattanooga, Tenn.;


9. Waco-Temple-Bryan, Texas; and


10. Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas.

The top 10 designated market areas with flu activity were:

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


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


3. Corpus Christi, Texas;


4. Waco-Temple-Bryan, Texas;


5. Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas;


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


7. Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas;


8. Knoxville, Tenn.;


9. Houston; and


10. San Antonio.

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 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.

That 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.