Flu Season Is 'One Of The Nastiest In Years'; Severity Of Symptoms Leading To More Hospitalizations

But in California, where a record number of people have died, Department of Public Health chief Dr. James Watt says, "Our hope is that because we started early, we'll end early.''

Los Angeles Times: California Flu Season Could Be One Of The Worst In A Decade, State Officials Say

California health officials said Tuesday that the state's flu season could turn out to be one of the nastiest the state has seen in a long time. "This appears to be one of the worst seasons we've had in the last 10 years," state epidemiologist Dr. Gil Chavez said in a call with reporters. "We're early, and we're trending up." (Karlamangla, 1/9)

Chicago Tribune: Flu Bug Biting With A Vengeance

While a rise in the flu cases might not be out of the ordinary, what is different is the severity of the symptoms. ...According to DuPage County weekly influenza surveillance reports, 17 people were admitted to the intensive care units of county hospitals during the last two weeks of December, bringing the total number of admissions to 28 since Oct. 1. That's more than four times higher compared to the same period last year, when there had been only had six ICU admissions as of Dec. 31, 2016. (Baker, 1/9)

Dallas Morning News: Worst Of Deadly Flu Season May Still Be To Come, Dallas County Officials Say

Seven more people in Dallas County have died from the flu, and North Texas may not have seen the worst of the deadly season yet, health officials said Tuesday. Dallas County Health and Human Services officials said it is too early to know if local cases have peaked or if they’re still on the rise. Flu cases typically peak between December and March. (Brumfield, Ballor and Branham, 1/9)

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