Abilene is not immune. The Abilene-Taylor County Health Department reported 16 confirmed cases of flu for the last week of December and 10 for the first week of January. Those numbers are slightly higher than usual, department officials said. Not every case of the flu gets reported, said Janet Robillard, the health department's nursing director. Some people who fall ill don't seek medical treatment and some physicians don't rely on the health department to confirm cases of the flu.
Some doctors send specimens to the health department to diagnose.
The number of Abilenians suffering the flu this year is up slightly over last year, she said. One reason could be the delay in getting a flu vaccine. A nationwide shortage caused many immunization programs to be delayed or canceled this flu season. But the shortage has passed and there is still time to get vaccinated before the flu season peaks. We declined a shipment because we had plenty.