Walgreens has ranked Lafayette #1 in their most recent Flu Index.
The Walgreens Flu Index provides "state and market-specific information regarding flu activity." The numbers are compiled using retail prescription data for antiviral medication used to treat influenza across Walgreens locations across the country.
Following Lafayette is Las Vegas, Nevada and Biloxi-Gulfport, Mississippi. Other Louisiana cities on the list are New Orleans (#4) and Baton Rouge (#6).
Louisiana is also ranked #2 on list of states with highest flu activity.
Walgreens explains:
The data is analyzed at state and geographic market levels to measure absolute impact and incremental change of antiviral medications on a per store average basis, and does not include markets in which Walgreens has fewer than 10 retail locations.
The CDC has also listed Louisiana high on the list of flu activity in its latest report.
This year, flu season started to impact Louisiana earlier than normal. Flu season generally runs from October to April; this year, there were more than 2,000 cases reported in the state by the end of September.
The CDC encourages residents to receive their yearly influenza vaccine.
