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25 cases confirmed in St. Lawrence County since start of flu season

Posted 12/19/14

St. Lawrence County is one of the majority of New York counties reporting confirmed cases of influenza this season. To date, there have been 14 confirmed cases of flu A and 11 confirmed cases of flu …

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25 cases confirmed in St. Lawrence County since start of flu season

Posted

St. Lawrence County is one of the majority of New York counties reporting confirmed cases of influenza this season.

To date, there have been 14 confirmed cases of flu A and 11 confirmed cases of flu B in St. Lawrence County since the start of the flu season at the beginning of autumn, according to figures from Director of Prevention Services Laurie Maki of the county Department of Public Health.

Influenza activity has been categorized as “geographically widespread” by the state Department of Health, with laboratory-confirmed cases in 47 counties plus New York City, as of the week ending Dec. 13, when the latest compilation of data was done. The number of cases reported weekly has been rising since early October.

Maki made note of health workers in some settings who have not had a flu shot being required to wear masks at work, at least until they get a vaccination or until that state commissioner of health rescinds the order. A similar order was in effect until June last year, Maki said. The requirement applies to workers in hospitals and hospital-owned clinics and in nursing homes, and to workers for home health care agencies. It does not apply in private doctors’ offices, not to school nurses.

“We would hope they all would get their vaccinations, but they’re not mandated to do so,” Maki said.