Walgreens Flu Index reports illness extension into Alaska, Hawaii

As flu incidence begins to wind down across the country, albeit slowly, Alaska and Hawaii are seeing signficant gains in flu incidence as the top two states with increased flu activity according to the Walgreens Flu Index published Wednesday. Stateside, the flu is still predominant across several markets in the Lone Star state, however.

For the week ended Feb. 24, the top 10 designated market areas with flu activity were:

1. Lincoln & Hastings-Kearney, Neb.;


2. Oklahoma City;


3. Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, Texas;


4. Waco-Temple-Bryan, Texas;


5. Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas;


6. El Paso, Texas (Las Cruces, N.M.);


7. Omaha, Neb.;


8. Paducah, Ky.-Cape Girardeau, Mo.-Harrisburg, Ill.;


9. Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Ark.; and


10. Austin, Texas.

The top 10 DMAs with flu activity gains were:

1. Lincoln & Hastings-Kearney, Neb.;


2. Anchorage, Alaska;


3. Spokane, Wash.;


4. La Crosse-Eau Claire, Wis.;


5. Albany-Schenectady-Troy, N.Y.;


6. Toledo, Ohio;


7. Yakima-Pasco-Richland-Kennewick, Wash.;


8. Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, Calif.;


9. Honolulu; and


10. Portland, Ore.

The Walgreens Flu Index is a weekly report developed to provide state- and market-specific information regarding flu activity, and ranks those states and markets experiencing the highest incidences of influenza across the country.

The Flu Index provides insight by showing which cities or metropolitan areas are experiencing the most incidences of influenza each week based on Index methodology. The data does not measure actual levels or severity of flu activity.

The Walgreens Flu Index is compiled using weekly retail prescription data for antiviral medications used to treat influenza across Walgreens and Duane Reade locations nationwide, including Walgreens locations in Puerto Rico. 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.