FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Winter illnesses are spreading rapidly across South Florida.
From the flu to COVID to the norovirus, the bugs are sending people to the doctor’s office this holiday season.
Dr. Catherine Moya with Broward Healthpoint spoke about the one-two punch we’re seeing.
First up, it’s the flu.
Across the country, especially in the Sunshine State, flu activity is increasing, labeled high in Miami-Dade and Broward counties right now.
There has been a 12% uptick in clinical labs across the country, though the bigger concern isn’t necessarily flu season, although it’s something to prepare for, the bigger concerns are actually the stomach bug.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alerted the public that norovirus is spreading, exceeding past averages for outbreaks, not just cases, of that wretched stomach bug.
It sickens millions every year, and Broward Health has seen it.
The CDC reported 91 outbreaks in just a week in December, adding it’s very likely that the number of outbreaks is actually higher than that.
A maximum of 65 outbreaks have been reported in years past.
Vulnerable patients like children, the elderly, and people with chronic conditions are most at risk.