Flu activity is running high across Iowa as the winter season continues, according to state and federal health data. Medical providers say more patients are seeking care for flu-like symptoms, with cases expected to remain elevated in the coming weeks.
Providers say the flu isn’t the only illness they’re seeing this winter. Rob Zeineh is a nurse practitioner at Franklin General Hospital in Hampton and tells RadioOnTheGo News there are a range of symptoms and respiratory illnesses showing up at their hospital.
“We’ve seen an increase in the numbers. A lot of people are reporting your typical flu-like symptoms, and that could be a variety of things. A stuffy nose, headaches, cough, fever, vomiting, nausea, just really fatigue even. Some people just feel run down and they’re not quite sure why. So we do have the ability to not only see those patients, but get them tested quickly, get those results pretty quick, and be able to provide treatment for those patients.”
And even if you think it’s “just a cold,” providers say it’s worth paying attention. Zeineh explains why getting checked can help prevent more serious illness.
“That seems to be a common thing in these farming community guys. Everybody thinks that they don’t need the doctor. But the thing is, is if you’re feeling poorly and you’re really unsure and it’s something that’s different than what your normal feels like, it’s only a few minutes to take that test. And I do think it’s important that you do get checked out because a lot of times being seen for just a regular sniffle or illness will help us to uncover other things. There’s a lot of people that have what’s called morbidities; high blood pressure, diabetes, and we find them through these normal process of visits to the physician’s office. So, you know, it’s a good idea to always get checked out.”
With flu activity running high across Iowa, healthcare workers stress the importance of early evaluation and prevention. They say timely care can help protect not only patients, but the community as a whole.
