La Crosse sees first confirmed case of the flu

The first case of the flu has hit La Crosse this week.

With many people not having an urgency to get vaccinated, these next couple weeks are an important time says infection control specialist Megan Meller at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse.

“Once infected, people can be contagious a day to a day and a half before they begin showing symptoms,” Meller said. “People are staying indoors, more around co-workers, schools, daycares. So, if we don’t have high vaccination rates, that increases the likelihood of people actually being exposed to the influenza virus.”

Meller said flu season started a little later than last year, which was deemed an epidemic in the country.

Having this first flu case in early November is another reason why we stress that people should try and get their flu shots early, rather than wait until the middle of December or the first of the year.

The Gundersen flu vaccine clinics remain open through November.