Highly contagious flu spreading throughout San Diego County – NBC 7 San Diego

The new year brought an increase in flu cases in San Diego County, as the virus’s traditional season ended.

According to the most recent weekly respiratory illness report from the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency, there is a 31% increase in reported cases.

During the week of December 21-28, cases increased from 2,420 to 3,567.

At the Civita Park Saturday Farmers Market in Mission Valley, families of all types were looking for great deals, great food and desserts.

Leilani Robles was selling her homemade cookies at the market. She is a saleswoman and mother of two sons who go back to school next Tuesday.

“It’s going to be crazy for a while (when they go back to school). They might catch a cold,” Robles said.

She started her cookie business during the COVID shutdown in 2020. She supports her family’s vaccination.

We get the flu vaccine every year. I didn’t start getting the flu vaccine until I was older…but it really works…and my kids haven’t gotten sick,” she said.

This highly contagious respiratory disease affects the nose, throat and lungs. This can cause symptoms such as fever, cough, chills, sore throat and headache.

“At least since the holiday season, we are seeing an increase in rates,” said Dr. Jyotu Sandhu, who specializes in family and sports medicine. He strongly recommends the flu vaccine for protection, especially for those who are most vulnerable. Memorial Hospital.

He said: “If the average person gets the flu, they have lungs strong enough to fight off the infection. They have this reserve of oxygen. This is not the case for older and younger people.”

Tanya Medrano is an artist who sells her maps and ocean creations every week at the Civita Park Farmers Market. She is committed to nature and the healing it can provide. She has already caught the flu but will not get vaccinated. “I just believe the body is meant to fight naturally. (Catching the flu was) no fun. But you know, just rest, take some vitamin C and let it run its course,” Medrano said.

The county will release its next respiratory illness report late next week.