CINCINNATI — Flu activity across the state of Ohio is considered "high" and regional hospitalizations from the virus are more than double the state's 5-year average.
Data reported by the state is current as of February 24. As of that date, the state says 144 people were hospitalized for the flu in Southwest Ohio — which includes Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton, Highland and Warren counties. That's more than double the 5-year average, spanning the 2017-18 season through the 2022-23 season.
The 5-year average shows that, at this time over the last five years, the average amount of hospitalizations from influenza in the region was around 45.
Hamilton County also reports that constitutional emergency department visits for the flu are also higher than the 5-year average.
The Southwest Ohio region also has the highest amount of influenza hospitalizations out of the seven regions in the state; Northwest Ohio is the next closest, with 121 hospitalizations.
It was also the worst week for hospitalizations throughout this flu season, with a rise in hospitalizations of 14.29% higher for Week 8 than Week 7.
Additionally, the 5-year average steadily trends downward following Week 9 and heading into the end of the season, though the current numbers have been steeply trending upward since Week 3.
The data was measured during a time just before U.S. health officials announced that Americans who test positive for COVID-19 no longer need to isolatefor five days if their symptoms are mild and improving, and they haven't had a fever for an entire day.
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