Texas Flu Cases Are Skyrocketing—And Now a Stomach Bug Is Making It Worse!

El Paso Is Getting Slammed With The Flu AND A Stomach Bug—Here’s How To Avoid The Madness

Listen up, El Paso! If you’ve been feeling under the weather, you’re not alone. (I’ve been coughing and sneezing for a week now!) 

The flu is making a grand entrance this season, and just to keep things extra spicy, a stomach bug is crashing the party, too. *Gasps in Spanish*

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The Flu Is Back And It’s Not Messing Around

According to the CDC, Texas is one of the top states seeing a surge in flu cases, and El Paso is no exception.

ABC-7 Spoke with Dr. Hector Ocaranza, El Paso’s health authority, and he told them that local hospitals are filling up with flu patients, especially young kids and seniors. Flu season usually runs from October through March or April, but it’s already making itself at home.

So, what’s the culprit? Influenza A is the dominant strain lurking around town, sending more and more people to the doctor. In fact, the CDC says flu-related doctor visits are at their highest levels in 15 years. Yikes.

The Best Defense? The Flu Shot (And Basic Hygiene!)

If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, Dr. Ocaranza says it’s not too late. “Every year the flu virus changes, which is why the vaccine is updated,” he explained to ABC-7. And no, the flu shot won’t make you sick—it just helps protect you from getting seriously ill. (Don’t worry, I spent so many years believing that myth, too!)

Other flu-fighting pro tips? Wash your hands, avoid sick people, and for the love of all things healthy, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. People are most contagious before symptoms hit, during a fever, and right after. So if you feel even a little off, do everyone a favor and stay home.

But Wait, There’s More—A Stomach Bug Is Also Wreaking Havoc

As if the flu wasn’t enough, El Pasoans are also dealing with a nasty stomach bug that’s spreading like wildfire. 

Dr. Armando Meza from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso says norovirus is the main suspect, and guess what? It laughs in the face of hand sanitizer. Yep, that little bottle of germ-killing magic won’t save you this time.

Norovirus spreads through contaminated food, surfaces, and basically just existing near someone who has it. 

Moral of the story? Protect yourself, stay clean, and if you start feeling sick, don’t try to be a hero—get some rest and keep your germs to yourself. Stay safe, El Paso!