This year's flu activity threatens to become 'Texas big'

This year's flu continues to be Texas big, according to the Walgreens Flu Index released Wednesday, as the top 10 communities experiencing the greatest amount of flu incidence were all located in the Lone Star State for the week ended Jan. 6.



Iowa, Idaho and Arkansas rank behind Texas in terms of flu activity. And Montana, Idaho and Iowa ranked highest among states experiencing flu activity gains.



That's significant, as the 2017/2018 influenza season is already going into the record books as the strongest season since 2009, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.



The top 10 designated market areas with flu activity for the week ending Jan. 6 were:

1. 
   Tyler-Longview (Lufkin & Nacogdoches), Texas;


2. 
   Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, Texas;


3. 
   El Paso, Texas (Las Cruces, N.M.);


4. 
   Waco-Temple-Bryan, Texas;


5. 
   Corpus Christi, Texas;


6. 
   Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas;


7. 
   Houston;


8. 
   San Antonio;


9. 
   Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas; and


10. 
    Austin, Texas.

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

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


2. 
   Wausau-Rhinelander, Wis.;


3. 
   Davenport, Iowa-Rock Island-Moline, Ill.;


4. 
   Cedar Rapids-Waterloo-Iowa City & Dubuque, Iowa;


5. 
   Palm Springs, Calif.;


6. 
   San Diego;


7. 
   Milwaukee;


8. 
   Duluth, Minn.-Superior, Wis.;


9. 
   Madison, Wis.; and


10. 
    Los Angeles.

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 valuable 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.