According to the Centers for Disease Control, the flu virus is spreading rapidly across the country, causing more deaths and hospitalizations. The CDC reports the flu is now widespread in 46 states, nearly four times as many compared as this time last year.

One in roughly 10,000 children under the age of four have been hospitalized with the flu this season. Of the more than 100 people who have died from the flu so far this season,13 are children.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reports that 18 PA residents have died from influenza since the season began in October. One of those deaths was an individual 18 or younger.
 
Making the problem worse this season is the type of flu that’s spreading: H3N2. The strain tends to hit younger and older people harder than others.  

“In years where there is H3N2, we do see far more deaths,” said  Dr, Daniel Jernigan, CDC Influenza Division Director.

Flu vaccines have been less effective in fighting h-3-n-2 than other influenza flu viruses, making this particular strain more difficult to contain. It is still too soon to say just how bad this flu season will be, but the CDC believes it could reach near epidemic levels.