Flu rates spike in Allegheny County as doctors analyze causes

As the United States is experiencing its worst flu season since 2009, Pittsburgh faces similarly high rates of the infectious disease.

Allegheny County has seen 12,325 reported flu cases since Sept. 29, a large increase compared to the longer time range of 13,975 cases from October 2023 to May of 2024. Professionals at Pitt discuss the causations for such rapid rates.

Dr. Sarah Burgdorf, a clinical assistant professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Pitt, said she believes the cold, dry weather Pittsburgh experienced was a factor in the flu spike.

“People tend to huddle indoors, potentially being closer [in] proximity to one another, which allows for easier spread of respiratory infections,” Burgdorf said. “When the air is very dry like this, those droplets can stay suspended for a longer period of time and more easily spread from person to person.”

Despite the rates spiking, the statistics show not much change in vaccination rates. According to the CDC, as of Feb. 8, 45% of adults received their flu vaccinations, whereas last season, 45.2% adults received the flu vaccine.

With Robert F. Kennedy Jr. now leading the nation’s Department of Health and Human Services, Burgdorf said having a “vaccine denier” in the position “is doing no one any favors.”

“[It] requires to have a deep understanding of science and medicine, or at the very least, to know how to delegate tasks to people who have that understanding, which unfortunately, I don’t think RFK Jr. has any of those qualifications,” Burgdorf said.

Burgdorf added that with increased social distancing in past years, an individual’s immune system may not be used to airborne diseases.

“When they finally do get exposed and they don’t have that immune memory of a recent infection with the flu … [it is] more likely to have a severe infection,” Burgdorf said. “Especially if they haven’t gotten vaccinated in the past.” 

Douglas Reed, an associate professor of immunology at Pitt, explains that differing strains, such as Type A or Type B, can cause a more severe spread, especially with decreased social distancing following the pandemic.

“Currently circulating strains appear to cause more severe disease and transmit more easily from person to person than in previous years,” Reed said. “People seem to be getting more comfortable with being out and about in the post-pandemic era, and more people interacting with each other means more virus transmission, infections and disease.” 

Pitt students have been among those who contracted the flu. Anjolaoluwa Oluwole, a sophomore psychology major, got the flu at the beginning of the semester and is still working toward being completely healthy again.

“It took longer for me to fully recover than usual,” Oluwole said. “I thought [that] was interesting, and I’m still in the recovery phase, but I’m closer to full health than I am to sickness.”