Respiratory Ailments Show Marked Rise

Water levels in local reservoirs aren’t the only things rising because of this winter’s cold and rainy weather.

Visits to local emergency rooms for treatment of upper respiratory problems have also gone up over the past few months, according to a survey by Ventura County Public Health at Ventura County Medical Center and St. John’s Regional Medical Center.

In November, the number of emergency room visits for treatment of upper respiratory problems, which include the flu, severe colds and other ailments, had risen to 20% above normal.

In December, the number of visits rose by 41%, and this month the number of cases jumped 65%.

“There are a lot of people sick,” said Marilyn Billimek, a public health nurse and epidemiologist at Ventura County Public Health.

Billimek characterized the incidence of upper respiratory problems this winter as above average, but there have been no reports of clustered outbreaks of the flu in nursing homes, schools and other places where people live and work closely together.

The dominant flu virus this season is Influenza Type A, with a few cases of Influenza Type B also reported in the county, she said.

To avoid coming down with the flu or a bad cold that won’t go away, Billimek offered a few suggestions.

“It’s really important to wash your hands as frequently as possible,” she said, adding that bacteria and viruses that cause colds and the flu are easily spread by touching objects handled by people who are already sick.

People should be especially careful to wash their hands before handling food and avoid putting their fingers in their mouth or rubbing their eyes. The mouth and eyes are open doors for germs that cause colds and the flu to enter the body, Billimek said.

Those who are already sick should drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration, she said.