As per local doctors and data reported by Columbia University in New York, Louisiana has witnessed a rise in flu cases. The data showed that the flu season in Louisiana remained ‘mercifully quiet’ until mid-February, however, the scenario changed previous week, when over 1,000 cases were reported in New Orleans alone.

Toll of influenza cases, such as Type A and Type B, has doubled since the February 7 week when the city reported 483 cases. Baton Rouge has also seen similar spikes.

A local physician mentioned that he received 15-20 calls per week in the last 14 days. Before this, he was receiving just 1-2 calls per week.

Dr. Brobson Lutz, an Uptown-based internal medicine doctor who’s with the Orleans Parish Medical Society, said, “There’s absolutely been a spike. People are coming in with complaints about flu symptoms -- fever, musical aches, pains and problems with the respiratory system”.

The New Orleans Health Department said that flu season generally kicks off in October and lasts until May every year. However, it can be changed on the basis of the virus.

Flu season typically peaks by the end of February or early March in Louisiana, as per Dr. Frank Welch, an influenza expert at the state Department of Health and Hospitals.

Welch suspects that there was a slow start to the flu season this year because of warmer winter weather countrywide. When it’s hot weather, people aren’t cooped up that much and thus the flu doesn’t spread at a fast pace.

Although there’s a spike now, while speaking to The Advocate last month, Welch cautioned that residents wouldn’t move out of the woods till early April.