(Radio Iowa) – The four UnityPoint hospitals in the Des Moines metro area report a tenfold increase in the number of patients testing positive for the flu in recent weeks, with more than 500 cases confirmed since late December. Flu cases across the region are multiplying rapidly as transmission rates are high, according to Megan Meller, an infection preventionist at Emplify Health by Gundersen. “This year, the virus that’s circulating, H3N2, it’s not a good match for the vaccine, and that’s because during its season it made copy mutations, which is very common for these viruses,” Meller says, “but these mutations allow the virus to evade our immunity just enough to enable it to spread a little bit quicker among people than we would otherwise expect.” She says this season’s flu strain is responding much like in past years, though it is spreading at a faster rate.

“Symptoms are the same. We’re not seeing any indication that illnesses are more severe with this strain than with any other strains, which is very encouraging to see,” Meller say. “We’re not really seeing any increase in complications either, it’s just spreading more rapidly, and we’re seeing many more cases right now than we would typically see in an average flu season.” Meller clarifies that while this vaccine isn’t a “good match” for the flu strain this year, she says it’s still important to get vaccinated, even at this late date.

“The vaccines are still really powerful against this virus and really what that means is you can get vaccinated and you might still get sick with this influenza strain, but the vaccine does a really great job at reducing your risk of either hospitalizations and other severe complications from influenza,” Meller says. “We still highly recommend getting vaccinated because it will offer you that protection.”

UnityPoint says its emergency rooms at Blank Children’s Hospital, Iowa Lutheran, Methodist West and Iowa Methodist report a total of 509 patients testing positive for both influenza A and B since December 21st. Emplify Healthy by Gundersen has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.