The Union County Health Department (UCHD) addressed the rising number of flu cases within Ohio at Wednesday morning’s meeting.
The flu season has returned to Union County, though it has shown up earlier than expected. UCHD epidemiologist Mary Salimbene Merriman said the county has seen a seasonal increase in the number of hospitalizations due to influenza.
“We’ve had three influenza-related hospitalizations,” she said. “It’s a little earlier than when we typically see it.”
She said the county typically sees one or two cases “trickle in” at a given time, but that doesn’t usually start until January.
Merriman said last year, the county saw 35 flu cases, from October to May, though that was a “really high year for us.” She said the county didn’t see a hospitalization for the flu for last year until January.
For this year’s flu season, there have been three cases, with one in October and two in December.
UCHD public information officer Jennifer Thrush said this time of the year is when the department officially raises concern to residents about getting flu shots.
“It’s a trigger point for us to reinforce our message,” she said. “Most of the time, people aren’t necessarily thinking about the flu until their relatives, friends or loved ones start to get sick with the flu.”
Thrush said the UCHD still has vaccines left for anyone who wants one. She said an appointment can be scheduled and no one is turned away.
Also at the meeting, Elizabeth Fries, UCHD deputy director of health promotion and planning, said the department submitted a grant application to the Ohio Department of Health for $139,000 for opioid overdose prevention. She filled in for Shawn Sech, UCHD director of health promotion and planning.
“If we get that funding, it will include expansion of access to naloxone,” she said. “It’ll also include an expansion of our (opioid overdose) review committee.”
She said, if the funding is received, it will include “fatality reviews” for the committee to assess.
Along with that, UCHD health commissioner Jason Orcena said the department had a “good meeting” with Senator Rob Portman’s staff to talk about the opioid epidemic. He said they discussed what the government has done on a federal level to help small regions with the epidemic.
“Our efforts for opioids and bigger issues are really gaining strength,” Orcena said. “I’m really hopeful we get some money from that grant project to continue to get Narcan for the city and the county.”
Also at the meeting, the board approved of a contract with Liberty Mobility to coordinate and provide transportation for county residents for next year. The contract was approved to not go beyond the sum of $41,500.