South Central U.S. hard hit by the flu
DEERFIELD, Ill. — This year's incidence of flu continues to remain strongest across the South, expecially in Texas and its bordering states, according to the latest Walgreens Flu Index. For the week beginning Feb. 9, the top 10 designated market areas experiencing the greatest amount of flu activity were:
Oklahoma City;
El Paso, Texas (Las Cruces, NM);
Ft. Smith-Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark.;
Tulsa, Okla.;
Little Rock – Pine Bluff, Ark.;
San Antonio;
Jackson, Miss.;
Austin, Texas;
Huntsville – Decatur (Florence), Ala.; and
Knoxville, Tenn.
The top 10 states with flu activity for the week beginning Feb. 9 were:
Oklahoma;
Arkansas;
Nebraska;
Texas;
Mississippi;
Louisiana;
Kansas;
Tennessee;
Alabama; and
New Mexico.
The top 10 DMAs as ranked by flu activity gains from the week beginning Feb. 2 through Feb. 9 were:
El Paso, Texas (Las Cruces, NM);
Fresno – Visalia, Calif.;
Sacramento – Stockton – Modesto, Calif.;
Jackson, Miss.;
Huntsville – Decatur (Florence), Ala.;
San Francisco – Oakland – San Jose, Calif.;
San Diego;
Los Angeles;
Peoria – Bloomington, Ill.; and
South Bend – Elkhart, Ind.
The top 10 states as ranked by flu activity gains from the week beginning Feb. 2 through Feb. 9 were:
California;
Alabama;
Arizona;
Georgia;
Illinois;
Colorado;
Indiana;
Missouri;
South Carolina; and
Idaho.
The Walgreens Flu Index is a weekly report developed to provide state- and market-specific information regarding flu activity, and ranking of those experiencing the highest incidences of influenza across the country. With the ability to generate hyper-local data that’s as specific as a single zip code, the Index aims to drive consumer awareness and prevention within communities, while also serving as a valuable resource for health departments, media and others at the local level.