The flu is spreading, and we're still a month away from peak season.
According to the CDC, three dozen states are reporting widespread outbreaks, and at least seven states have reported flu-related deaths, including Texas.
On Thursday, Dallas County health officials confirmed this county's fifth flu-related death already this season.
In the past week, nearly seven percent of all emergency room visits in Tarrant County were due to flu-like illnesses.
That's a 50-percent jump from the week before.
The DFW area was ranked eighth-worst by Walgreens for flu activity, based on retail prescription data for antiviral medications used to treat influenza across Walgreens locations nationwide.
Experts say the flu is already three times worse than last year, and the vaccine is proving to be just 11 percent effective.
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Our winter weather isn't helping, either. The flu virus thrives in the cold and increases the chances of getting a super-infection, like pneumonia, after the flu.
