NORTHAMPTON — In the midst of the widespread flu season, several patients at Cooley Dickinson Hospital who tested positive for the flu have died — although many had other health conditions, according to the hospital.
“Because deaths related to influenza are almost always due to other complications, we are unable to confirm the cause of death as flu,” spokeswoman Christina Trinchero said Monday.
Trinchero said Cooley Dickinson, like all hospitals in the state, is testing more people with the flu and admitting more patients confirmed to have the flu than at the same time last year.
Last week, there were 94 positive tests out of a total of 270 flu tests administered during the current flu season, she said.
The 2016-17 flu season had a total of 506 laboratory-confirmed cases of flu in western Massachusetts, and so far, in the 2017-18 season, there have been 1,522 laboratory-confirmed cases in the region, according to data collected by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday this is the worst year of the flu in the country since 2009’s pandemic of swine flu.
Cooley Dickinson announced on Thursday that the hospital has put restrictions in place to prevent the spread of the flu.
No children under 14 will be allowed to visit hospitalized patients, people must clean their hands before entering and leaving a patient’s room, and the number of visitors should be limited, the hospital said in an announcement.
Patients should go to appointments alone, or with their immediate caregiver only, according to the hospital, and patients are also discouraged from bringing children with them to appointments.
“We are taking these temporary precautions to limit the number of visitors,” registered nurse Linda Riley said in a statement. “This year is about the severity of the flu, the fact that it is particularly dangerous for the young children and seniors, and the widespread activity of flu across our region.”
Baystate Health has announced similar restrictions at its four hospitals, including Baystate Medical Center in Springfield and Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield.
Trinchero said CDH has not had any pediatric patients admitted with the flu so far this season.
Pediatricians Jonathan Schwab of Northampton Area Pediatrics and John Snyder of Amherst Pediatrics both said none of their patients has been hospitalized due to the flu.
“So far, we’ve had some very sick children with the flu,” Snyder said. “I have not had to hospitalize patients yet.”
Although cases haven’t been serious, the pediatric offices have had dozens of patients a week with symptoms of the flu.
Schwab said he’s been seeing about one to two patients a day who have flu symptoms, and Snyder said overall, Amherst Pediatrics sees about 10 patients with flu symptoms a day.
“We’re not at peak yet,” Snyder said, adding that he expects numbers to go up within the next month.
Symptoms of the flu are more severe than the common cold, pediatricians said. Those sick with the flu typically have body aches and a fever.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said the virus is spread through droplets of saliva and mucus when someone coughs or sneezes, which can be breathed in by another person who is within 3 to 6 feet. The virus can also live for a short time on things like doorknobs, phones and toys, the department said in a statement.
When it comes to treating the flu, Schwab said most of the time he recommends rest, Tylenol or ibuprofen, and lots of fluids.
When there are respiratory complaints, Snyder said, it’s important that children come in to see if they’ve caught pneumonia.
Children at the highest risk are those under 2, and those with chronic health conditions such as asthma, according to Snyder and Schwab. Those children are often treated with the antiviral medicine Tamiflu, which works best within the first 48 hours, the pediatricians said.
Both Snyder and Schwab say vaccinations are the best way to protect against the flu. While the vaccine isn’t as effective as in the past, the pediatricians said if those who are vaccinated get the flu, it will be less severe.
“There’s virtually no downside to getting the vaccine,” Snyder said.
In December, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health urged residents to get a flu shot.
“Every flu season is different, but usually cases of influenza reach their peak in January, February, or even March,” Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel said in a statement.
“This year we are seeing a very rapid increase in influenza-like illness across Massachusetts, along with an increase in confirmed flu cases. This suggest that Massachusetts may be having an earlier start. It is important that we all take steps to prevent flu from spreading, including getting a flu shot because it is among the best protections we have.”
To prevent the spread of the flu at the office, Snyder and Schwab said patients who have flu symptoms are asked to wear masks while in the waiting room. They also urge people to regularly wash their hands.
Caitlin Ashworth can be reached at cashworth@gazettenet.com.