As the flu season goes on and cases continue to spread nationally and locally, more and more people are looking for treatment from the emergency room.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent FluView Activity Update reported influenza activity has continued to increase, and if it plays out like the last few seasons, it may stay at these levels or even increase over the next few weeks.

“For the week ending Feb. 3, the proportion of people seeing their health care provider for influenza-like illness was 7.7 percent, which is above the national baseline of 2.2 percent and is the highest ILI percentage recorded since the 2009 pandemic. All 10 regions reported a proportion of outpatient visits for ILI at or above their region-specific baseline levels. ILI has been at or above the national baseline for 11 weeks so far this season. Over the past five seasons, ILI has remained at or above baseline for 16 weeks on average,” the report read.

Local emergency rooms are seeing a higher rate of patients presenting with symptoms including fevers, body aches, coughing, sore throats, runny noses, and in some cases, nausea and vomiting. To cope with the influx, some hospitals like Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Cedar Crest campus have constructed tented “surge hospitals” in order to streamline treatment while keeping susceptible patients’ risk lower.

But Lehigh Valley Health Network public information officer Brian Downs said that hard data on the actual number of influenza cases that come through emergency rooms can be difficult to come by, based on the frequency of visits during the season and a number of related symptoms.

“Ths issue is not just the flu, it’s the actual flu, flu-related illnesses, and other illnesses,” Downs said. “Unless you do a test, you don’t know for sure who has influenza.”

Diane Lesher, emergency room director at St. Luke’s Gnaden Huetten and Palmerton, estimated that the ERs tend to have about 20 flu or flu-related cases per day. St. Luke’s hospitals conduct a flu swab test if a patient presents with common symptoms.

“This year, it’s a particularly bad strain of the flu, so we’re seeing a little bit above what we saw last year,” she said. “We’ve had some very busy days with people being admitted into the ICU for the flu, flu-like symptoms, or flu-related conditions including breathing difficulties.”

Downs said that Lehigh Valley Health Network’s emergency rooms forgo testing when someone exhibits enough flu-like symptoms, opting to address the possible cause right away.

“We’re going to treat them like they have it, based on what we’re seeing,” he said.

Patients who have compromised immune symptoms will often need testing and special attention to prevent serious issues, such as pneumonia stemming from the flu.

Those who have chronic conditions like ashtma or heart disease, as well as the young and old, should pay special attention for signs of the flu, as they are more vulnerable to the illness.

Erin Davis of Tamaqua, mother of 4-year-old twins, took her young daughter to the Nesquehoning Care Center recently to be tested for the viral infection.

“It took seven days for her fever to break,” she said.

Health care professionals warn to watch for a sudden onset of fever and body aches for flu symptoms.

Davis said she noticed Ellie’s cheeks were “really red,” while she seemed lethargic with little interest in food.

“Her temperature was 102 degrees, and then went up to 103, so we gave her Tylenol, but her fever only dropped to 102, so we took her to the walk-in center and she came back positive for type A,” Davis said.

“We each took turns getting up in the middle of the night to give her Tylenol, and lots of hand washing,” she said.

However, Steven Albrich, a physician assistant at the Gnaden Huetten campus, said that in many cases, otherwise healthy people who are rushing to the ER to treat the flu can stay at home and use over-the-counter treatments.

“There’s the occasional one who is sick enough to require IV fluids and treatments, but many people seem to be coming in more for reassurance and education,” he said.

Lesher agrees, and recommends that people who exhibit flu-like symptoms, such as coughing or fevers, try treating themselves with over-the-counter remedies such as acetaminophen and cough medicine. Outside of that, it is best to practice common sense, wash your hands frequently, avoid sick people and stay well hydrated and rested.

But if the person showing signs of influenza is vulnerable or concerned, it is better to be cautious and take that trek to the hospital.

“See a family physician, or you can go to an area urgent care facility,” she said. “If, by all means, you need to, come to the ER and get checked out. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”