El Paso Health Department reports spike in flu cases

EL PASO, Texas -- Covid-19 has dominated headlines over the past two years, but the El Paso Department of Public Health is also concerned about Influenza.

Health officials told ABC-7 flu cases are rising at an alarming rate, a major concern as hospitals are still dealing with hundreds of Covid-19 patients.

Director of the department, Angela Mora, said from October to January, more than 1000 El Pasoans have tested positive, just shy of pre-pandemic levels.

That same time last year, the department only saw about 200 cases. Mora siting more people following preventative measures last year to that number, which is the lowest number of flu cases the department has seen.

"Influenza can lead to complications requiring hospitalization and severe complications that might compromise a person's life," Mora said.

High risk groups include people over the age of 65, young children, and people with chronic health conditions.

"We highly encourage the community to vaccinate against the flu to protect their health and help prevent overwhelming the hospitals who are already operating at high capacity," Mora added.

Despite flu shots being free, Mora said the department has seen a 40 percent decrease in flu vaccinations across the city.

"I think people probably see the flu as something not as important anymore. When in fact, as I mentioned before flu can lead to serious complications that can compromise the individual's life. So it's just people letting their guard down," she said.

To learn more about the flu and how you can get a free flu shot, visit bepowerflu.com.