Not Flu or Covid, the Oklahoma Mystery Sickness is Spreading

Heading into the fifth week of 2025, who had "Oklahoma Mystery Epidemic" on their state bingo cards?

When schools returned after Christmas, new cases of Covid and the flu swept across the Sooner State so fast that schools were closing doors and opting for distance learning in January.

The first school day in February so far is more of the same. Closures in lieu of distance learning, except the illnesses are not Covid and the flu so much. I mean, the flu is still a real issue across the state. Parts of Western/Northwestern Oklahoma are still #1 in the nation for flu, but that data is a week old and changing.

It's a mystery that is causing confusion at the doctor's office.

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The growing experiences of Oklahoma families go like this. Take kid to the doctor, they run tests, and the diagnosis is inconclusive.

Simply put, the sickness floating around Oklahoma at the moment isn't something that can be tested for. Or rather, like my doctor fishing buddy explained to me, there are so many different things affecting people right now, the Oklahoma mystery sickness is likely a combination of many illnesses happening all at once.

Oklahoma Common Sickness Checklist:

Covid
Flu
RSV
Norovirus
Common Cold
Enterovirus
Strep Throat
West Nile Virus - uber-random indeed...

Plenty of people are posting on social media that their sick kids don't have Covid or flu, but they're still sick with something or a combination of things. As long as we pack our kids into classrooms, it'll continue to spread, hence the distance learning.

Parents are also not very happy with it. That's not to say they're not caring for and taking pity on their children, but in this lingering historic last two years of a recessive economy, taking days off to care for kids is costing more than time.

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While the sickness sucks, it's just something we'll have to inoculate the old-fashioned way. Once everyone has had it, it'll be like no one has had it.

Oklahoma's $17 Million Over-the-Top Mansion Complex

Ever wonder what you'd get for $17 million in Oklahoma? 19,000 square feet of home with 8 massive bedrooms, close to 10 bathrooms, gourmet kitchens, entertaining space that includes a 90s cafe, bowling alley, multi-purpose rooms, sprawling pool and spa, a few basketball courts, and a climate-controlled 46-car barn/garage with even more entertaining space. This place is incredible.

Gallery Credit: Kelso

The Safest College Campuses in Oklahoma

As parents, there's more to worry about than just the future when it comes to their babies leaving the nest for the first time. Will they survive on their own? Will they make good decisions? Are they safe while they're away from home? These are legitimate questions every parent thinks about as their kids grow. If you have a student headed to college, here's the list of Oklahoma's safest college campuses - granted, there's a trend... The smaller the campus, the safer it tends to be.

Gallery Credit: Kelso