But compared to this time last year there are half the number of confirmed cases, state health officials say.

With flu season nearing its peak, state health officials say it’s still not too late to get a flu shot.

Pennsylvania is among two dozen states reporting widespread flu outbreaks as of the week ending Feb. 14, with nearly 2,000 confirmed cases, according to the state Department of Health.

February is traditionally the peak month for flu, department spokeswoman Stacy Kriedeman said.

This year’s numbers, though, are far lower than the more than 3,600 cases, including four deaths, reported for the same period last year, the worst flu season since the state started keeping records in 2004.

Bucks County had 90 confirmed flu cases as of Feb. 14, and neighboring Montgomery County 114, the third highest in the state and just behind Lehigh’s 115 cases.

Locally, hospitals reported mostly scattered flu activity.

Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol Township experienced a rush of patients with flu-symptoms a few weeks ago, but nothing compared with last year, spokesman John Coffman said.

Holy Redeemer Medical Center in Abington had 10 confirmed flu cases over the last two weeks.

“It was pretty quiet before that, as the season was pretty slow,” Redeemer spokeswoman Grace Roche said. “Last year was much worse.”
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Nationwide, last year was the flu season was worse partly because the vaccine was not a good match against viruses that made most people sick.

Pennsylvania reported a record 17,825 confirmed flu cases last year. There were more than 600 confirmed cases reported in Bucks and more than 575 in Montgomery County.

A flu vaccine is still a viable option this year, Kriedeman said. It typically takes 10 days after the shot to build up immunity.

Another reason public health officials are pushing vaccines this year is one of the flu strains is resistant to the most commonly prescribed drug treatment.

Nationwide, virtually all

samples of one of the Type A strain, the most common flu variety this year, have tested positive for Tamiflu resistance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Tamiflu is an antiviral that reduces the length and severity of the illness and reduces the potential for complications – but only when taken within the first 48-hours of symptom onset.

The U.S. flu season typically lasts from December through late March, infecting 5 to 20 percent of the population, killing about 36,000 people, and hospitalizing more than 200,000.

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