Doctors urge El Pasoans to get flu shots

While Ebola has captured national attention — doctors in the borderland are focused on the flu.

Officials with the El Paso Department of Health told ABC-7 that 200 cases have been diagnosed this season, which began the final week of September. The highly contagious virus has already sent dozens of El Pasoans to the hospital in the last six weeks.

Doctors and nurses at University Medical Center have treated more than 80 patients with confirmed cases of the flu. Nine have been hospitalized.

“This season so far has been better than last year. But there’s no way to tell if it will stay that way,” said Dr. Ismael Rodriguez with UMC’s internal medicine department. “Now that we’re heading into the cold weather, we urge everyone to get vaccinated so we can prevent cases.”

Last year’s flu was aggressive, with more than 1,600 confirmed flu cases in El Paso County. Eight people died of the virus.

No deaths have been reported in El Paso County this season.

Rodriguez is urging everyone to turn their attention to the flu, which is more contagious than Ebola and historically has killed more Americans.

“One death in the whole United States by Ebola,” said Rodriguez. “In El Paso, 8 people died last year. So we have to focus our efforts on the things that are more common and kill more people.”

While Rodriguez said the best time to get the vaccine is in October, it’s not too late. He advised anyone over the age of 6 months old be vaccinated.