There is some good news and bad news when it comes to the flu.
Bad news – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that state is reporting influenza outbreaks, and it looks a little worse than last year’s relatively mild season looked at this point. Pennsylvania and Virginia are both experiencing a high number of flu cases.
Good news – Flu activity in Maryland and West Virginia is actually low for this time of year.
The flu usually hits the very young and the very old the hardest. Depending on the season, it kills anywhere between 4,000 and 50,000 people a year in the United States.
So what is the flu? Health experts say it’s an infection of the nose, throat, and lungs caused by the influenza virus. The flu is highly contagious and is spread person to person through the air by coughing or sneezing. It is also spread by direct contact with infected people. Flu symptoms usually begin 1 to 4 days after being infected with the flu virus. Symptoms include chills, fever, cough, headache, muscle aches, sore throat, runny nose, and fatigue. Influenza can causes severe complications like pneumonia, bronchitis, and sinus infections.
If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, doctors say there is still time to protect yourself. Get one right away!
By: Dianah Gibson
