Flu activity in Ohio has now been elevated to the highest level, “widespread,” the Ohio Department of Health said Monday morning.
Last year, flu activity did not reach this level until mid-January. Hospitalizations due to the flu started to increase in December and peaked the last week of February.
So far this flu season, there have been 401 flu-associated hospitalizations in Ohio. Such hospitalizations are trending above the five-year average. Last year there were 8,661 flu-associated hospitalizations.
Dayton admitted its first child with flu symptoms the week of Dec. 4.
Local health care officials said that children under the age of five are at higher risk during flu season.
The Ohio Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that everyone six months and older get a flu shot as soon as possible. It is not too late to get a flu shot, health officials said.
