Early and Severe Influenza Surge Prompts Urgent Public Advisory from Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre
𝗦𝗧. 𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗡’𝗦, 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗮, 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 — Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre (SLBMC) is advising the public to take increased precautions as the hospital records an early and more severe-than-usual onset of the influenza season.
Hospital laboratory data show an early and concerning rise in influenza cases. Since the start of December, SLBMC has confirmed 15 cases of Influenza A, following 8 cases recorded in November, with most cases involving patients who required hospital admission. To date, one influenza-related death has sadly been recorded. Clinicians are also seeing a higher-than-usual number of patients requiring hospitalization and intensive care for severe influenza at this time of year, reflecting trends being observed internationally.
𝗗𝗿. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲, 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗟𝗕𝗠𝗖, emphasized the importance of early action and community awareness.
“We are seeing influenza activity earlier than expected, and in some cases, the illness is more severe,” Dr. Belle said. “The flu is not something to take lightly, especially for older adults, children, pregnant women, and people living with chronic conditions. Vaccination is one of the most effective ways we can protect ourselves and those around us, and it also helps reduce the strain on our healthcare system.”
Dr. Belle noted that influenza vaccination not only reduces the risk of developing symptomatic flu, but lowers the risk of severe illness and hospitalization by 40–70%. Influenza vaccines remain available at community clinics across Antigua and Barbuda.
Acknowledging that some people may have concerns, Dr. Belle reassured the community that the flu vaccine is both safe and well-studied. Mild effects such as soreness at the injection site, a low-grade fever, or headache can occur, but usually last no more than one or two days. Severe reactions are extraordinarily rare, reported in just 1–2 cases per million doses, making vaccination one of the safest ways to protect against severe influenza.
𝗗𝗿. 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗹-𝗔𝗻𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗲, 𝗦𝗟𝗕𝗠𝗖 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁, reported that several patients have required advanced life-support measures, including intubation.
“We are seeing a concerning increase in severe influenza cases, particularly among individuals with underlying health conditions, but also among otherwise healthy adults and children who are becoming critically ill and requiring advanced life support measures,” said Dr. Fortune. “Prevention remains our most effective defense. Protect yourself and your loved ones by staying informed, taking basic public health precautions, and getting vaccinated.”
SLBMC is urging residents to take the following precautions:
𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟲𝟱, 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀
𝗪𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆
𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗻𝗲𝗲𝘇𝗲𝘀
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗻𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹
𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗸
Hospital officials stress that early prevention can save lives and encourage the community to act now to protect themselves, their families, and the wider public.
For more information about influenza vaccination, residents are encouraged to contact their nearest community clinic
Hospital laboratory data show an early and concerning rise in influenza cases. Since the start of December, SLBMC has confirmed 15 cases of Influenza A, following 8 cases recorded in November, with most cases involving patients who required hospital admission. To date, one influenza-related death has sadly been recorded. Clinicians are also seeing a higher-than-usual number of patients requiring hospitalization and intensive care for severe influenza at this time of year, reflecting trends being observed internationally.
𝗗𝗿. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲, 𝗔𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗟𝗕𝗠𝗖, emphasized the importance of early action and community awareness.
“We are seeing influenza activity earlier than expected, and in some cases, the illness is more severe,” Dr. Belle said. “The flu is not something to take lightly, especially for older adults, children, pregnant women, and people living with chronic conditions. Vaccination is one of the most effective ways we can protect ourselves and those around us, and it also helps reduce the strain on our healthcare system.”
Dr. Belle noted that influenza vaccination not only reduces the risk of developing symptomatic flu, but lowers the risk of severe illness and hospitalization by 40–70%. Influenza vaccines remain available at community clinics across Antigua and Barbuda.
Acknowledging that some people may have concerns, Dr. Belle reassured the community that the flu vaccine is both safe and well-studied. Mild effects such as soreness at the injection site, a low-grade fever, or headache can occur, but usually last no more than one or two days. Severe reactions are extraordinarily rare, reported in just 1–2 cases per million doses, making vaccination one of the safest ways to protect against severe influenza.
𝗗𝗿. 𝗚𝗮𝗶𝗹-𝗔𝗻𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗲, 𝗦𝗟𝗕𝗠𝗖 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁, reported that several patients have required advanced life-support measures, including intubation.
“We are seeing a concerning increase in severe influenza cases, particularly among individuals with underlying health conditions, but also among otherwise healthy adults and children who are becoming critically ill and requiring advanced life support measures,” said Dr. Fortune. “Prevention remains our most effective defense. Protect yourself and your loved ones by staying informed, taking basic public health precautions, and getting vaccinated.”
SLBMC is urging residents to take the following precautions:
𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟲𝟱, 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀
𝗪𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆
𝗖𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗻𝗲𝗲𝘇𝗲𝘀
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗻𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹
𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗸
Hospital officials stress that early prevention can save lives and encourage the community to act now to protect themselves, their families, and the wider public.
For more information about influenza vaccination, residents are encouraged to contact their nearest community clinic