County Experiencing an Increase in Incidence of Respiratory Disease

Los Angeles County is experiencing an increase in the number of cases of respiratory disease, but absenteeism from work has not been excessive and the number of deaths caused by influenza and pneumonia has not been unusual, a county health official said Friday.

Dr. Shirley Fannin, deputy director of the Department of Health Services, said that although some of the illnesses are influenza, the majority are infections by other types of viruses and bacteria.

“We are receiving lots of anecdotal reports of illnesses, but the reports on absenteeism that we receive weekly from 153 sites in the county have not been excessive,” Fannin said. “Until last week we were even running behind last year. We are seeing an increase now, but we can’t call it an epidemic.”

Weekly Death Reports

She said that deaths attributed to influenza and pneumonia are not considered unusually high until they exceed 7% to 8% of all deaths reported each week in the county. The rate had been between 3.4% and 4% until two weeks ago, when there was a slight rise in the number, Fannin said.

“We have seen pneumonia, but it is not influenza pneumonia,” she said.

The last influenza epidemic in Los Angeles was in the winter of 1980-81, when the number of deaths caused by influenza rose to 8% of all deaths countywide.

The cases of true influenza occurring in parts of the county are of the so-called Philippine strain, a variant of the Hong Kong flu virus.

Fannin attributed the increase in respiratory disease to the recent cold weather. People stay indoors more than usual, she said, making transmission of the disease to other people easier.

“We are not surprised that there is respiratory disease around,” she said, “but it is not flu.”