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Boston declares public health emergency as US flu cases rise

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    CDC: Current number of cases matches peak from previous years

  • Duration 5:16
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-- -- back there no worries.

Doctors are running -- -- new trouble as the deadly flu outbreak is spreading now at least one city is reporting a shortage of vaccine.

Remember that the flu bug is widespread across more than forty states everything in red here according to centers for the disease the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

And it's already killed authorities tell us more than a dozen children.

Which -- get a better picture of the flu season tomorrow when the Centers for Disease Control issues it's updated weekly report.

For now health officials in Milwaukee say -- emergency rooms are getting three times the amount of patients compared to normal years.

But a bigger concern in -- -- Massachusetts outside Boston.

This morning the mayor there and out that state run flu clinics in his city have run out of the vaccine.

But he says the local still have plenty of options.

Here's an all -- local pharmacies CVS Walgreens Rite Aid even tiger which of the journal.

-- vaccines available we -- the public to please check that particular store location.

That we checked well -- -- now they all have some.

It's probably some sort of -- administration costs so there is.

Ample supply right now in the community.

And then there's Boston we're just yesterday the city declared a public health emergency.

Molly Line is live in Boston Medical Center Molly -- the scene where you are.

Well -- -- the number of people that have the flu that a reporter that come forward this year so surpasses last -- that they.

When they're trying very hard to bring attention is getting convincing people to -- -- get their flu shots and to wash their hands and take all of the profits need him.

To stem the flood of this because the hospitals are very very busy here in Boston have been 700 cases.

At this time this year at this time last year -- only been seventy.

And it's a really powerful strain of the -- that they're concerned about facing this is the type say -- three influenza strain.

It's tougher to fight and have a worse outcomes ultimately stepped up.

-- our hospitals hailing this increase in patients there.

And and then -- -- are still wide open here in Boston sing a lot of patience that's why they're asking people to take all these precautions are moving to cut down on the number of patients in the future they're not expecting that to happen anytime soon.

-- Boston medical they say that 85 people just last week coming to be treated by the flu.

And just across town at mass at Massachusetts General Hospital they're also extremely busy take a listen.

It's a very crowded emergency department and -- significant flu season.

Certainly we're on pace to have a flu season at least as bad as when -- -- -- about five years ago and maybe as bad as one about ten years ago.

One of the greatest challenges here in Boston is in some of the that's more than neighborhoods like -- -- -- -- -- -- -- these -- Primarily minority neighborhoods in and places where.

People are often living in poverty.

The flu continues to spread from there and that's why they're seeing this bump in numbers -- -- urging people to stay home and their kids are sick to keep their kids home up from school as well.

Except Molly Line reports from Boston Molly thanks let's bring in doctor Mitchell Brooks now the former family practitioner hosts -- radio program health -- the nation doc thanks.

Broken parents are a lot of parents are mighty worried about this it is is -- concern overblown or is this on on point.

Well I think it's important to have concern but I think.

The real issue is to follow the guidelines.

Make sure your child is vaccinated make sure you are vaccinated.

It's a preventable thing in most cases not 100%.

But it certainly preventable in most cases and this strain while a little more virulent than others.

It's still amenable to that vaccine and as your reporter suggested it's the H three N two strain the type a -- To be technical.

And all the usual precautions that we're told about covering your mouth when you cough -- of tomorrow temperature curve of your elbow up -- your mouth.

Wash your hands it's so simple take twentieth it's -- five seconds to washing hands after you go to the bathroom before you eat.

Be careful when you touched doors brings some pure -- what -- -- some hand -- that -- you have flu symptoms instead of going to the emergency room.

Most CVS pharmacies in your neighborhoods.

Have minute clinics and they're very effective this step by good people.

And most of the pharmacies have the vaccinations.

So I would urge people to take those precautions.

You hear about all these kids dying and and and it does make you worry but it's my understanding gotten hurt me if I'm wrong.

That most of people who diet with flu die because of something else and flew brings down their immune system.

That's correct but we call those co morbidity and generally.

It does occur the death does occur in people who are over 65 who have heart disease or lung disease and when they strain becomes virulent.

And it affects the lungs it causes pneumonia sometimes people develop -- staff McLaughlin faction.

And they get into trouble and after that their system subsequently shut down.

Of course there was the tragedy in Minneapolis with a fourteen year old girl died and there was -- seventeen year old boy from Texas who also died in Minnesota.

And in these things just happen and they're sad they're unfortunate.

But it's part of the disease process.

Doctor Mitchell -- with us this afternoon doctor thank you.

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