Amarillo health dept. releases flu report; changes coming to COVID-19 report card

From Staff Reports
·4 min read
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The Amarillo Department of Public Health did not release a COVID-19 report card this week, but it did report one influenza related death as positive cases continue to decline. In addition, the department's website noted an increase of nearly 400 COVID-19 cases and one new death from the previous week.

"Our team is updating the format of the report card and will be shared every Wednesday going forward for the previous week's information," the department says in an update posted on Facebook. The department notes, in related information, that the city of Amarillo has partnered with WasewaterSCAN to provide wastewater surveillance in the City of Amarillo. "We call it 'wastewater,' but we don’t want to waste it. Infected people can shed viruses in their feces even if they do not have symptoms. Once health departments are aware, communities can act quickly to prevent the spread of these illnesses."

The wastewater surveillance program will monitor for:

  • SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)

  • Influenza (Flu)

  • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

  • Mpox (previously known as monkeypox)

  • Norovirus

To access the data of local water surveillance, go to WastewaterSCAN at: https://data.wastewaterscan.org/tracker/…

COVID update

According to the health department's website, there have been a total of 683,586 tests administered locally since the beginning of the pandemic. The overall total rose to 89,778 COVID-19 cases, 1,365 active cases, a seven-day positivity rate of 20% and 1,325 deaths. Potter County's total cases since the start of the pandemic rose to 43,167, with 781 deaths related to the virus. Randall County's total COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic rose to 46,611, with 544 deaths related to the virus, according to the site Friday.

The website also noted 27 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized, with 22 in the ICU.

Flu update

The health department's weekly flu report is created by all the local providers who voluntarily report influenza to APHD in Potter and Randall Counties. Previous weekly flu reports can be found on the health department's website. Data is categorized by week, starting with Oct. 16. The season's highest total thus far was during the week of Dec. 12, when there were a total of 2,388 flu and flu-like cases of illness reported.

The influenza report, issued Feb. 16 by the Amarillo Department of Public Health.
The influenza report, issued Feb. 16 by the Amarillo Department of Public Health.

For the week of Feb. 13, there were 14 cases of influenza A, 16 cases of influenza B and 475 cases of flu-like illness, according to the flu report card. Seventeen cases were classified as "undifferentiated," for a weekly total of 522. The previous week's total was 491.

"We are continuing to decline in positive influenza reported," the update reads. "We did have one influenza related death reported this week."The department urges Amarilloans to do to the following help protect themselves:

  • be up to date on your Flu Vaccine – recommended yearly for everyone 6 months and older

  • Stay home if sick

  • Wash your hands often

  • Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces

  • Don't touch your face with unwashed hands

Vaccinations and boosters

The Amarillo Public Health Department is encouraging residents to take advantage of the opportunity to receive free vaccines and boosters before the national emergency and public health declarations are lifted in May.

Everyone ages 6 months and older should stay up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines, including receiving the latest booster when eligible to prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death; it is also the best way to prevent symptoms of long COVID, the health department says. For the latest COVID-19 information or to find vaccine locations, visit www.AmarilloAlerts.com. Weekly flu reports can be found at www.amarillopublichealth.org .

According to the Amarillo Public Health Department, boosters maximize protection against COVID and its contagious variants, such as the Omicron variant and the newest variant XBB1.5, which was recently named as “the most transmissible” by the World Health Organization. Everyone ages 6 months and older is best protected when they are up-to-date on their vaccines, which means they have received all recommended doses for people their age.

Upcoming mobile vaccine clinics include Friday, Feb. 17 at 10 a.m. at the Guyon Saunders Resource Center; Monday, Feb. 20 at 9 a.m. at a Community Resource Fair at 1601 S Cleveland St.; Thursday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. at Bike Lane Design Open House; Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 1:30 p.m. at Panhandle Community Services Hygiene Closet; Thursday, March 9 at 6 p.m. at Salvation Army; and Friday, March 17 at 10 a.m. at the Guyon Saunders Resource Center. Nurses will be available at the mobile clinics to answer health-related questions. Free COVID vaccinations are also available at the Amarillo Public Health Department, 850 Martin Road. Learn more, including how to schedule a free ride to the Amarillo Public Health Department, at www.AmarilloAlerts.com/findavaccine.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo health dept. releases flu report; no weekly COVID-19 update