Flu season starts early in Kane County

This year's flu season started early, and cases are increasing faster than usual, health officials in Kane County are reporting.

Kathy Aureden, infection prevention coordinator at Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, said people should get flu shots, typically something many don't do this early.

The flu typically appears in December and peaks in January or February, she said.

"This year, it started one week (in early November), rose the next and continues to rise," she said. "It takes about two weeks after vaccination to provide immunity against the virus."

Flu activity has risen sharply - more than 200 percent - in the past few weeks at Sherman's emergency department and immediate care centers in Elgin, South Elgin and Algonquin, said Lawerence Synett, the hospital's coordinator of public affairs and marketing.

Most cases have been in young people, and a few have required hospitalization.

Data from the Kane County Health Department also shows an increase in flu cases in the last several weeks, Synett said.

Hospital officials also advise avoiding close contact with people who have flu-like symptoms, and covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Germs can spread up to about six feet away.

People should also get plenty of sleep, keep active, manage stress, keep hydrated, and eat healthy, he said.