Flu, whooping cough are spreading in Arizona

Respiratory virus season is here, and several types of illnesses are spreading in Arizona right now.

“This is a little early, unfortunately, for our respiratory illnesses,” said Dr. Frank LoVecchio, an emergency room physician and public health doctor at Valleywise Health. “We’ve had a huge jump in flu cases.”

The Arizona Department of Health Services reports, as of last week, there were about twice the number of influenza cases being confirmed in the state compared to what’s typical for this time of year.

Whooping cough has also been spreading – cases in the state this year have climbed to the highest level in nine years.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning that bacterial infections have led to a high number of walking pneumonia cases among children nationwide recently.

Arizona is not currently seeing significant increases of COVID-19 or RSV, according to the state health department.

The CDC recommends annual flu shots for everyone 6 months and older. The CDC also recommends infants and children under seven years old receive routine vaccinations against whooping cough. Adults should get vaccinated for whooping cough every 10 years as part of the Tdap booster, which also protects against tetanus and diphtheria.

Respiratory infections can be especially risky for infants, older adults, or people with weakened immune systems. If you are experiencing symptoms, medical experts recommend taking precautions to prevent spreading these diseases to others who may be more vulnerable.

“If you have a cough, cold, fever, and if you’re able to, the recommendation is to stay home, certainly stay away from people, and try to wear a mask if you have to be around people,” LoVecchio said.