October 1st marked the beginning of flu season. The Springfield-Greene County Health Department reported the first confirmed case of the flu this season in September. This is only the second time in nine years the flu has been reported in Greene County that early. The other year when the flu was spotted in September over that time period, was in 2009 during the national swine flu outbreak.
Last flu season there wasn't a case of flu reported in Greene County, until January. The most active months for flu in the Ozarks are usually December - March. The most active month over the last year has been March, 2011 when 213 patients were diagnosed with the flu.
According to the Greene County-Springfield Health Department, in the last year there have been 1045 cases of the flu in Greene County.
Dr. Rober Steele, MD of St. John's Clinic Pediatrics, tells KSPR he expects to see many of the same strains of flu during this season as last. That would mean you would be less likely to get the flu if you received the flu shot or got the flu over the last year, but the flu shot is still recommended.
