Flu season is peaking across the country, the number of cases are jumping.
Nebraska health officials confirm two flu-related deaths in Douglas County within the last two weeks.
Mid-February is usually the peak of flu season.
As more people come down with the flu, local hospitals and clinics are, at times, inundated.
"It spread across the country and it finally hit us,” said Dr. Nathan Asher, Boys Town Pediatrician.
And hit hard.
Adults are getting sick the most, but the severe cases that require a hospital visit mostly involved children younger than four.
Dr. Asher has seen about two cases per day and says treating the little ones is tough.
“They're little and they look really sick, and they can't tell you what's going on, that's the most difficult part,” Asher said. “That's what's difficult for parents too. You have a 10-year-old at home and they can tell you what hurts. You have a one year old at home and they can't really tell you what hurts."
There were more than 900 cases of the flu in Douglas County in January.
There were 312 last week.
"There’s body aches, fever, chest pain, chest pain seems to be a big one,” said Rockbrook Urgent Care Advanced Nurse Practitioner Traci Jenkins. “Burning right in the mid chest, going to the back, radiating, feeling like you got hit by a Mack truck."
While it's relatively rare for the flu to turn deadly, Jenkins says it can happen to anyone.
"Every year, unfortunately, we do see fatalities with influenza. I myself, personally, have seen two different people that I was acquainted with, or knew through a mutual friend who was a healthy person who was a fatality," Jenkins said.
Some simple things to do to avoid the flu is to regularly wash your hands and cough into your arm instead of your hand.
It’s not too late to get a flu shot.
Experts say flu cases should settle down within a few weeks.
