Illness rates still high across Texas, Walgreens Flu Index reports
Texas can't seem to catch a break this flu season. Cities across the Lone Star State have ranked among the top 10 designated market areas with flu activity for the whole season, according to the weekly Walgreens Flu Index. For the week ended March 3, six Texas markets ranked among the top 10.
And while the Centers for DIsease Control and Prevention has been tracking illness gains in the Northeast, the three states with the greatest flu activity gains for this past week were Montana, Alaska and Oregon, Walgreens reported.
The top 10 markets with flu activity for the week ended March 3 were:
Top 10 DMAs ranked by flu activity gains for the period were:
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.
And while the Centers for DIsease Control and Prevention has been tracking illness gains in the Northeast, the three states with the greatest flu activity gains for this past week were Montana, Alaska and Oregon, Walgreens reported.
The top 10 markets with flu activity for the week ended March 3 were:
- Lincoln & Hastings-Kearney, Neb.;
- Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, Texas;
- Omaha, Neb.;
- Oklahoma City;
- El Paso, Texas (Las Cruces, N.M.);
- Waco-Temple-Bryan, Texas;
- Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas;
- Columbia-Jefferson City, Mo.;
- Corpus Christi, Texas; and
- San Antonio.
Top 10 DMAs ranked by flu activity gains for the period were:
- Fresno-Visalia, Calif.;
- Anchorage, Alaska;
- Portland, Ore.;
- Bakersfield, Calif.;
- Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, Calif.;
- San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Calif.;
- San Diego;
- Seattle-Tacoma, Wash.;
- Los Angeles; and
- Rochester, N.Y.
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.