Flu season widespread and increasing

(WTNH) -- We're facing one of the worst flu seasons in recent years and the Connecticut Department of Public Health says its widespread and increasing.

The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates this could be a particularly bad flu season with 41 states reporting a jump in deaths and outpatient visits for flu symptoms.
  
And the CDC says cases are already up 25 percent from December.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health reports emergency department visits and outpatient visits are increasing in this first phase of the flu season.

The number of people being admitted to hospitals in the past four weeks has gone up dramatically.

There's also a large number of positive lab confirmed cases. Over a thousand statewide, compared to 30 just a year ago.
  
So far Fairfield County is reporting 275 and Hartford is at 204. Litchfield coming in with 35, Middlesex at 57, New Haven at 273, New London at 56, with Tolland at 30 and Windham reporting 93.

Alan Sinisalcalchi who monitors the situation for the state tells News 8 this is an unusually early season. Peak is generally in February and March but he says there is really no way to know if this is peak or if a lot more is to come.

The flu can be deadly for children, the elderly and people with underlying health conditions.

Symptoms include severe muscle aches and high grade fever lasting up to five days. Again, the vaccine is still worth a shot. It's not 100 percent effective but it reduces the severity of the flu.