Many doctors in North Texas are seeing something rare for this time of year: the flu. They are cautioning that this could just be the beginning.
Dr. Jane Sadler, of Baylor Medical Center at Garland, said it doesn't feel like the testing for the flu ever ended in her clinic and neither did the positive results.
"We were seeing many flu cases into May and even June," said Sadler. "I suspect that the flu is here year-round, and that's how it's able to perpetuate and come back."
One of those positive tests came from an employee at the doctor's office just weeks ago. For Loli Meadors, it started as a sore throat late last month.
"That night I didn't sleep at all, because I had a really bad sore throat. The next morning I thought I had strep," said Meadors.
She later found out it wasn't strep but the flu.
"I was very surprised, because this was the second time in four months I had had the flu," Meadors said.
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Back in April, she was diagnosed with one strain of the virus, and this time around it was a different strain.
Sadler said she's one of a handful of positive tests this summer and calls it a spike because it's highly unusual to get positive flu tests at this point in the year, months away from when the flu season is set to begin.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said flu season starts as early as October in North Texas, and Sadler cautions this could be just the beginning.
"What this tells me about the flu season is get ready, here it comes. School has just begun, the kids are going to be closer together," said Sadler. "I suspect we may see a resurgence of the flu, perhaps in higher numbers than before."
Sadler said she will start giving out the flu shot starting Sept. 1. Studies show the flu shot is usually effective for the length of the flu season, with its effectiveness waning toward the summer.
