It’s been a mild flu season until this past week when cases reported in Kansas quadrupled.  The good news is that this year’s vaccine is strong, it’s not too late to get a shot and there have been no deaths reported at The University of Kansas Hospital. There are usually some deaths among vulnerable populations at Midwest hospitals during the height of the flu season.  At The University of Kansas Hospital, lab workers use a rapid swab test to detect influenza.  If positive, more testing is done to determine the type of flu.  So far, a majority of the flu cases have been diagnosed as type B, although both type A and N1H1 cases have been present.

Dr. Lee Norman, chief medical officer for The University of Kansas Hospital talks more about the rising number of flu cases and what that means for the metro.  Dr. Rebecca Horvat, director of the Molecular Pathology Lab at The University of Kansas Hospital shows how the rapid test works.