Local health experts say the number of local flu cases is starting to decline.
But we are still in the middle of what one doctor is calling the worst flu season in four years.
The Center for Disease Control says the flu is now widespread in 48 states.
Today's report shows this year's flu season started sooner than other recent years.
But as a doctor at Parkview regional health center says just because it's starting to go down, doesn't mean the flu season is over.
"if the flu's going to kick back... I know a lot of times you can see kind of a bi-modal distribution of the flu, where it'll die down for a while and resurge early spring," says Parkview emergency physician Jonathan Steinhofer.
Steinhofer says fewer cases of the flu are showing up in the E.R. at Parkview Regional Medical Center.
However, those numbers are still high.
The CDC released its weekly report today, new flu infections are widespread in 48 states.
Nationally, 29 children have died from flu, including nine this week.
"I would kind of compare this to a few years ago when we had the big H1N1 scare, so it's kind of similar to that, numbers of patient-wise and symptom-wise," Steinhofer says.
In Indiana, health officials report twenty-seven deaths this season, including two children.
Indianapolis is one of the hardest-hit areas of the state, where hospitals have imposed visitor restrictions.
"We're not seeing the numbers here like they're seeing in Indianapolis. This week when they issued their restrictions, they saw a sixty-nine percent spike in one week," Parkview Health Public Information Manager Eric Clabaugh says.
Steinhofer says the PRMC emergency room has treated as many as 180 people a day this past week, and at peak times in prior weeks, as many as 220- compared to the average 130 people a day.
While these aren't all flu cases, it's one of the biggest factors.
Even though the numbers are starting to decline, the CDC says the flu season could last another six weeks.
Steinhofer says it could go either way.
"I think a lot of times when you have a really early peak, I think a lot of times the flu season does and early peak and doesn't come back, and that's a good thing," Steinhofer says.
Steinhofer says it's not too late to get a flu shot.
In fact, he recommended getting one if you haven't so far.
Even if the flu doesn't make a huge return,
It is still possible to get it another time before the spring.
But we are still in the middle of what one doctor is calling the worst flu season in four years.
The Center for Disease Control says the flu is now widespread in 48 states.
Today's report shows this year's flu season started sooner than other recent years.
But as a doctor at Parkview regional health center says just because it's starting to go down, doesn't mean the flu season is over.
"if the flu's going to kick back... I know a lot of times you can see kind of a bi-modal distribution of the flu, where it'll die down for a while and resurge early spring," says Parkview emergency physician Jonathan Steinhofer.
Steinhofer says fewer cases of the flu are showing up in the E.R. at Parkview Regional Medical Center.
However, those numbers are still high.
The CDC released its weekly report today, new flu infections are widespread in 48 states.
Nationally, 29 children have died from flu, including nine this week.
"I would kind of compare this to a few years ago when we had the big H1N1 scare, so it's kind of similar to that, numbers of patient-wise and symptom-wise," Steinhofer says.
In Indiana, health officials report twenty-seven deaths this season, including two children.
Indianapolis is one of the hardest-hit areas of the state, where hospitals have imposed visitor restrictions.
"We're not seeing the numbers here like they're seeing in Indianapolis. This week when they issued their restrictions, they saw a sixty-nine percent spike in one week," Parkview Health Public Information Manager Eric Clabaugh says.
Steinhofer says the PRMC emergency room has treated as many as 180 people a day this past week, and at peak times in prior weeks, as many as 220- compared to the average 130 people a day.
While these aren't all flu cases, it's one of the biggest factors.
Even though the numbers are starting to decline, the CDC says the flu season could last another six weeks.
Steinhofer says it could go either way.
"I think a lot of times when you have a really early peak, I think a lot of times the flu season does and early peak and doesn't come back, and that's a good thing," Steinhofer says.
Steinhofer says it's not too late to get a flu shot.
In fact, he recommended getting one if you haven't so far.
Even if the flu doesn't make a huge return,
It is still possible to get it another time before the spring.
