{"id":9626,"date":"2025-03-01T13:59:13","date_gmt":"2025-03-01T18:59:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/influenzahome\/"},"modified":"2025-03-02T00:28:50","modified_gmt":"2025-03-02T05:28:50","slug":"influenzahome","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/epi\/influenzahome\/","title":{"rendered":"epi\/influenzahome ~  Influenza Home Page  &#8211; Delaware Health and Social Services &#8211; State of Delaware"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-swiftype-index=\"true\">\n\n\n\n\n\n  <br>\n\n\n  \n\n\n  <div class=\"container\" id=\"main_header\">\n\n\n    <!-- BEGIN readspeaker div -->\n\n\n    <div class=\"rs_skip rsbtn rs_preserve\" id=\"readspeaker_button1\">\n\n\n      <a accesskey=\"L\" class=\"rsbtn_play\" href=\"https:\/\/app-na.readspeaker.com\/cgi-bin\/rsent?customerid=7262&#038;lang=en_us&#038;readid=main_content&#038;url=https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/epi\/influenzahome.html\" title=\"Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker\">\n\n\n        <span class=\"rsbtn_left rsimg rspart\"><span class=\"rsbtn_text\"><span>Listen<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n\n\n        <span class=\"rsbtn_right rsimg rsplay rspart\"><\/span>\n\n\n      <\/a>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    <!-- END readspeaker div -->\n\n\n\n\n\n    \n\n\n    <header class=\"pull-left\">\n\n\n      <h1><!--[type=EDIT name=\"Page Title\"]-->Influenza<!--[END]--><\/h1>\n\n\n    <\/header>\n\n\n  <\/div><br>\n\n\n \n\n\n  <div class=\"container\">\n\n\n    <div class=\"row\">\n\n\n      <div class=\"col-md-3\" id=\"leftCol\">\n\n\n        <div class=\"panel-group\" id=\"accordion\">\n\n\n          <div class=\"panel sectionmenu_panel\">\n\n\n            <div class=\"panel-heading\">\n\n\n              <p class=\"panel-title\"><a class=\"agency_nav\" data-parent=\"#accordion\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#collapseOne\"><strong><i class=\"fa fa-align-justify fa-fw\"><\/i> Public Health Menu<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n            <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n            <div class=\"panel-collapse collapse in\" id=\"collapseOne\">\n\n\n              <div class=\"panel-body\" id=\"clf_nav\">\n\n\n                  <ul class=\"nav nav-stacked nav-pills-clf\" id=\"agency_sidebar\">\n    <li><a href=\"\/dph\/\"><h2>Home <i class=\"fa fa-home fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a><\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#agency_sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#HomeMenu\"><h2>About <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"HomeMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/about.html\">About DPH<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/sections.html\">Sections &#038; Programs<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/ofclocations.html\">Office Locations<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/contact.html\">Contact Info<\/a><\/li>\n      \n        <li><a href=\"\/calendars.html\" target=\"_blank\">Calendar<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#ServicesMenu\"><h2>Services <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"ServicesMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/servicesaz.html\">A-Z Services<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/environmental.html\">Air &#038; Water Quality<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/ss\/vitalstats.html\">Birth, Death, &#038; Marriage Records<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/clinics.html\">Clinics<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthdatastats.html\">Health Data &#038; Statistics<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/php\/emsps.html\">Emergency Preparedness<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthandwellness.html\">Health &#038; Wellness<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/healthyhomes.html\">Healthy Homes<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/healthywp.html\">Healthy Workplaces<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/lab\/labs.html\">Laboratory<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hsp\/feir.html\">Restaurant Inspections<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/screen.html\">Screening and Testing<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/chca\/dphwichominf01.html\">WIC<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/servicesadd.html\">Additional Services<\/a><\/li><li>\n      <\/li><\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li class=\"toplevel\"><a data-parent=\"#sidebar\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" href=\"#InformationMenu\"><h2>Information <i class=\"fa fa-caret-right fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n        <ul class=\"panel-collapse collapse\" id=\"InformationMenu\">\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/factsheetsaz.html\">A-Z Fact Sheets<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/pubreportsaz.html\">A-Z Publications &#038; Reports<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/diseasesandconditions.html\">Diseases &#038; Conditions<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/faq.html\">FAQ&#8217;s<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/php\/alerts.html\">Health Alerts<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/healthylifestyles.html\">Healthy Lifestyles<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/hipaa.html\">HIPAA<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/regs.html\">Regulations<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/forms.html\">Request Forms<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"\/dph\/links.html\">Links &#038; Resources<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"http:\/\/delaware.gov\/help\/foia_request.shtml\">FOIA Request Form<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n    <li><a id=\"SocialMenuHeader\"><h2>Connect <i class=\"fa fa-thumbs-o-up fa-fw\"><\/i><\/h2><\/a>\n      <ul id=\"SocialMenu\">\n        <li class=\"facebook\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DEPublicHealth\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Division of Public Health Facebook Page\"><i class=\"fa fa-facebook-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Facebook<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"twitter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Delaware_DHSS\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Delaware Health and Social Services Twitter Account\"><i class=\"fa fa-twitter-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Twitter<\/a><\/li>\n        <!-- <li class=\"googleplus\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-google-plus-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Google +<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"flickr\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-flickr fa-lg\"><\/i> Flickr<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"youtube\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-youtube-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Youtube<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"instagram\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-instagram fa-lg\"><\/i> Instagram<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"linkedin\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-linkedin-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Linkedin<\/a><\/li>\n        <li class=\"pinterest\"><a href=\"#\"><i class=\"fa fa-pinterest-square fa-lg\"><\/i> Pinterest<\/a><\/li> -->\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n\n\n              <\/div>\n\n\n            <\/div>\n\n\n          <\/div>\n\n\n        <\/div><br>\n\n\n      <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n      <div class=\"col-md-9\" id=\"main_content\"> \n\n\n  <!--[type=HTMLEDIT name=\"Content\"]-->\n\n\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n\n <li>\n\n\n\n <h2><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/myhealthycommunity.dhss.delaware.gov\/portals\/flu\/locations\/state\/seasons\/2022-2023\/overview\">Influenza Seasonal Information Dashboard\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n <\/li>\n\n\n\n <li>\n\n\n\n <h2><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/coronavirus.delaware.gov\/fight-the-flu\/\">DPH FIght the Flu Page<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n <\/li>\n\n\n\n <li>\n\n\n\n <h2><strong><a href=\"\/dph\/dpc\/immunize-flu.html\">DPH Influenza Immunization Page\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n <\/li>\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2><br>\n\n\n\nWhat is influenza?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Influenza, otherwise known as &#8220;the flu&#8221;, is an infectious respiratory illness that is caused by an influenza virus. This virus is spread from person-to-person through direct contact with respiratory droplets from an infected person (usually from a cough or sneeze). Influenza is different from a &#8220;common cold&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3><br>\n\n\n\nWhat are the symptoms?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Flu like symptoms&#8221; usually have sudden onsets and may include high fever, headaches, extreme fatigue, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, and stomach symptoms (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea). These symptoms may be mild to severe and rarely, influenza can cause death. Most people recover from the flu quickly without any complications. Young children, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases, and people who are 65 years and older should take caution during the &#8220;flu season&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3><br>\n\n\n\nWhen is the flu season?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Influenza can occur throughout the year, but seasonal influenza is usually from October through mid-May of the following year. The season generally peaks from December to March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<ul>\n\n\n\n <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/season\/faq-flu-season-2021-2022.htm\">What You Should Know for the Current Influenza Season<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3><br>\n\n\n\n\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<table class=\"table table-condensed table-hover\">\n\n\n\n <tbody>\n\n\n\n  <tr>\n\n\n\n   <td>\n\n\n\n   <h3>How is influenza diagnosed?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <p>Influenza is usually diagnosed based on symptoms and treatment is not necessarily dependent upon laboratory testing. To confirm the influenza diagnosis, laboratory testing is needed. Laboratory testing can confirm the presence or absence of influenza and determine the type of the influenza virus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <p>Delaware uses the following criteria to determine influenza case status:*<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <h4><em>Confirmed influenza:<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <ul>\n\n\n\n    <li>The viral culture is positive for influenza.<\/li>\n\n\n\n    <li>The influenza Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test is positive.<\/li>\n\n\n\n   <\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <h4><em>Unconfirmed influenza:<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <ul>\n\n\n\n    <li>Rapid influenza test positive without performing confirmatory test. (This is what they do in the doctors&#8217; offices and in the hospitals.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n    <li>Acute serological (blood) testing for the Influenza A and\/or B antibodies. Unless a convalescent (after the patient has recovered) blood test is performed, the acute (while patient is actively ill) blood test alone is not confirmatory. There must be a 4-fold increase in the titer between the acute and convalescent blood tests. Most doctors do not order the convalescent blood test since the patient has generally recovered.<\/li>\n\n\n\n   <\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <h4><br>\n\n\n\n   Common types of influenza:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <p>There are two main types of influenza viruses that cause seasonal epidemics: Type A and Type B. Type A usually causes more severe symptoms. Type B causes similar symptoms but is generally less severe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <h4><br>\n\n\n\n   Ways to prevent influenza:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <ul>\n\n\n\n    <li><strong>Get vaccinated.<\/strong> Receive vaccination before the flu season, generally in the fall. However, you can receive vaccination anytime during the season. It takes about two weeks for a person to develop antibodies which provide protection against the influenza virus.<\/li>\n\n\n\n    <li><strong>Avoid close contact.<\/strong> Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick, too.<\/li>\n\n\n\n    <li><strong>Stay home when you are sick.<\/strong> If possible, stay home from work, school or errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n    <li><strong>Cover your mouth and nose when you are sick.<\/strong> Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n    <li><strong>Wash your hands thoroughly.<\/strong> After coughing or sneezing, wash your hands with soap and water or clean with an alcohol-based hand cleaner. Washing your hands frequently is the single best defense against the spread of germs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n    <li><strong>Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.<\/strong> Germs are often spread when you touch something that is contaminated with germs and then you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n    <li><strong>Practice other good health habits.<\/strong> Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.<\/li>\n\n\n\n   <\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <p>*Criteria to determine influenza case status may differ state to state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <p style=\"margin:0in; text-align:center\">\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n   <p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n   <\/td>\n\n\n\n   <td class=\"text-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Link below to DelawareInfluenza Weekly Activity Level and Reports.\" class=\"img-thumbnail img-responsive\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/img\/epi_influenzaactsurv.gif\"><br>\n\n\n\n   <a href=\"\/dph\/epi\/influenzawkly.html\">Weekly<br>\n\n\n\n   Flu Reports<\/a><br>\n\n\n\n   __________<br>\n\n\n\n   <br>\n\n\n\n   <br>\n\n\n\n   <a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/pdf\/influenzafaq.pdf\">Influenza FAQ Sheet<\/a><br>\n\n\n\n   <br>\n\n\n\n   <span class=\"smalltext\">[ <a href=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/dph\/txt\/influenzafaq.txt\">Influenza FAQ Sheet &#8211;<br>\n\n\n\n   Text Version<\/a> ]<\/span><br>\n\n\n\n   __________<br>\n\n\n\n   <br>\n\n\n\n   <a href=\"\/dph\/fluclinics.html\">Delaware<br>\n\n\n\n   Public Health<br>\n\n\n\n   Flu Clinic<br>\n\n\n\n   Schedule<\/a><br>\n\n\n\n   __________<br>\n\n\n\n   <br>\n\n\n\n   <a href=\"\/dph\/dpc\/immunize-flu.html\">Delaware<br>\n\n\n\n   Immunization Program &#8211;<br>\n\n\n\n   Influenza<br>\n\n\n\n   Information<\/a><br>\n\n\n\n   __________<br>\n\n\n\n   <br>\n\n\n\n   <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/\">Centers for Disease<br>\n\n\n\n   Control and Prevention<br>\n\n\n\n   (CDC)<br>\n\n\n\n   Seasonal Flu<br>\n\n\n\n   Information Page<\/a><br>\n\n\n\n   __________<br>\n\n\n\n   <br>\n\n\n\n   <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/flu\/weekly\/fluactivitysurv.htm\">CDC<br>\n\n\n\n   Weekly<br>\n\n\n\n   Flu Activity<br>\n\n\n\n   &#038; Surveillance<\/a><br>\n\n\n\n   __________<br>\n\n\n\n   <br>\n\n\n\n   <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\">CDC<br>\n\n\n\n   Home Page<\/a><br>\n\n\n\n   __________<br>\n\n\n\n   <br>\n\n\n\n   <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/h1n1flu\/\">CDC 2009<br>\n\n\n\n   H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)<br>\n\n\n\n   Information Page<\/a><br>\n\n\n\n   __________<br>\n\n\n\n   <br>\n\n\n\n   <a href=\"\/dph\/lab\/labs.html\">Delaware<br>\n\n\n\n   Public Health<br>\n\n\n\n   Laboratory<\/a><\/td>\n\n\n\n  <\/tr>\n\n\n\n <\/tbody>\n\n\n\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<div>\n\n\n\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color:#B22222;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">Office of Infectious Disease Epidemiology<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"color:#B22222;\"><span style=\"font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">24\/7 Emergency Contact Number: 1-888-295-5156<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p align=\"center\"><span style=\"font-size:20px;\"><span class=\"font-black\"><strong><a href=\"\/dph\/epi\/epi.html\">Return to Infectious Disease Home Page<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p><br>\n\n\n\n<\/p><p class=\"smalltext\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.adobe.com\/products\/acrobat\/readstep2.html\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Download Adobe Acrobat Reader\" height=\"21\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/dhss\/img\/getacro60.gif\" width=\"60\"><\/a> Please note: Some of the files available on this page are in Adobe PDF format which requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.  A free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded directly from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.adobe.com\/products\/acrobat\/readstep2.html\">Adobe <\/a>. If you are using an assistive technology unable to read Adobe PDF, please either view the corresponding text only version (if available) or visit Adobe&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/access.adobe.com\">Accessibility Tools page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n  <!--[END]-->\n\n\n  \n\n\n      <\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n  <\/div><!-- \/container -->\n\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Listen Influenza Public Health Menu Home About About DPH Sections &#038; Programs Office Locations Contact Info Calendar Services A-Z Services Air &#038; Water Quality Birth, Death, &#038; Marriage Records Clinics Health Data &#038; Statistics Emergency Preparedness Health &#038; Wellness Healthy Homes Healthy Workplaces Laboratory Restaurant Inspections Screening and Testing WIC Additional Services Information A-Z Fact [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":9615,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-9626","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9626"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9626\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10840,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9626\/revisions\/10840"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9615"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dhss.delaware.gov\/dph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}