Cases of flu and whooping cough are on the rise in Arizona.
Influenza kills more than 800 people per year in Arizona, and whooping cough can be life-threatening for children. ValleyWise emergency doctor Frank LoVecchio said the surge in flu cases has come early this year.
“[It] caught a lot of people by surprise," LoVecchio said. "We had a lot of people probably getting together in September and then that led to a big jump in October.”
He said people who are older, pregnant or have diabetes are considered at-risk groups who should seek immediate medical attention if they come down with the flu.
"That is because there are some treatments we can give for the flu that work best if started early," LoVecchio said.
The state has also seen a spike in whooping cough, or pertussis, cases, a highly contagious respiratory infection. So far this year, more than 560 cases have been reported. That’s the highest number Arizona has seen since 2015.
