Medical experts are saying you ought to brace yourself for what may be the worst flu season in history. This year's main flu strain, known as the influenza A virus, is coming in worse than the swine flu of 2009 that made 51-thousand people sick in Australia alone.
The Centers For Disease Control says this year's flu virus in the U.S. could reach epidemic proportions soon. In Arizona, health officials say flu cases are up more than 758 percent over this time last year.
The CDC reports the flu is widespread in 46 states, including California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Virginia. To make matters worse, the flu vaccine is not proving to be very effective against this year's main strain because of a virus mutation.
- The flu is also costly. CDC estimates the flu costs the United States more than ten-billion dollars a year in direct medical expenses. Lost earnings from the flu cost businesses more 16-billion dollars annually.
Source: CNBC