PHOENIX — Graham County saw an uptick in the number of confirmed cases of flu during the most recent reporting period.
That’s according to the Arizona Department of Health Services, which reported 11 new cases the week of Feb. 12, an 83 percent jump over the previous week and the most in one week since there were 16 new cases the week of Jan. 8.
Graham County has experienced 508 cases of flu so far this flu season, which is more than double the five-year average for this time of the flu season.
Of Graham County’s total number of cases to date, 464 have been Influenza A, 26 cases have been Influenza B and the remaining 18 have not yet been determined.
Reports show school-aged children seeing most of the cases in Graham County, with 34 percent impacting children 5 to 18 years old. Thirty percent of the cases involve young adults, 18 to 49, while babies and toddlers account for 14 percent of the cases. Older Graham County residents — those 50 to 64 and those 65 and older — both account for 11 percent of the cases each.
The current number of cases versus the five-year average is even worse in Greenlee County.
AZDHS reports 271 cases of flu in Greenlee County thus far this season, which is 352 percent higher than the five-year average.
A total of 266 of Greenlee County’s cases have been Influenza A, three have been Influenza B and the remaining two are undetermined.
School-aged children 5-18 have accounted for 42 percent of Greenlee County’s cases, followed by 30 percent in young adults 19-49, 14 percent in babies and toddlers, 8 percent in adults 50-64 and 6 percent in those 65 and older.
