The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Bureau of Infectious Diseases is seeking support from physicians and other healthcare professionals to strengthen summer influenza viral surveillance.
Physicians and other healthcare professionals are being asked to work with their local health department during the summer months to coordinate submission of specimens which are positive for influenza A or B on RT-PCR or rapid molecular tests to the ODH Public Health Laboratory for confirmatory testing and subtyping. If testing volume is such that submitting all positives is prohibitive, it is recommended that physicians and other healthcare professionals prioritize submission of specimens from severely ill patients (e.g., hospitalized patients, including ICU patients). If feasible, submitting specimens for surveillance testing of influenza positive emergency department patients and other outpatients is recommended.
This increased influenza surveillance will continue through Wednesday, September 30.