Flu becoming 'epidemic' in Maine
Maine's top health official says the latest influenza virus is becoming an epidemic in the state, with state hospitals straining to meet patient demands.
The Portland Press Herald reported that Dr. Sheila Pinette, the state's top health official, said this year's flu is shaping up to be among the two worst in the last decade.
Josh Frances, director of Emergency Management at Maine Medical Center in Portland, told the paper that admissions at the hospital are up and agreed that the flu is the worst Maine has seen in 10 years.
By the beginning of January, the total number of reported outbreaks tripled over last year and included outbreaks mostly at long-term care facilities. Two outbreaks were reported at "other institutions," a category that includes prisons and workplaces, in Androscoggin and Aroostook counties.
Pinette told the paper that, based on previous years, the flu season is likely to persist for another two to three months.
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