The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning that this year's flu season could be a hard one. The onset of flu season is the earliest it's been in a decade, which means that it's likely to be long, infect many people, and take more time pass.
"We're seeing the beginning of the uptick start at least a month before we'd generally see it," said Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC.
Last year, flu season started late, in February.
Fortunately, the three strains of flu used to make the current vaccine on the market look to be a good match for the virus that is going around, meaning the vaccine should provide good protection for most people.
So far, 112 million American have already received their annual flu shot, but Frieden said only 37 percent of people eligible to get the vaccine actually do.
Each year about a quarter of the U.S. population catches the flu, and of them, around 36,000 people die.
Cases of the flu have jumped across the country, though infections are concentrated in the South and Southeast. Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas are all experiencing a rise in flu infections.
The strain of the virus going around is the same one that sickened people in 2003 and 2004, and that was a bad flu season, killing more than 48,000 people nationwide.
Two children have already died this year due to flu complications, but most cases aren't that severe.
"Fortunately, the cases have been relatively mild," said Dr. Henry Wang, an emergency medicine physician at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
The CDC is urging everyone to get a flu vaccine, as well as to practice good hygiene and hand-washing techniques.
Spread good cheer and give presents," said Frieden. "Don't share infections and spread the flu."
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
