Utica (WSYR-TV) – A deadly outbreak of the flu is sweeping the United States, taking the lives of close to two dozen children.
Emergency rooms across the nation are overcrowded with sick people.
Some medical centers are so busy, and so bogged down, paramedics are under orders to take patients elsewhere.
The CDC says 18 of the affected states are about to hit epidemic levels.
Locally, Oneida County has the most reported cases in New York State.
More than 200,000 people are hospitalized due to influenza each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control And depending on the year, between 3,000 and 49,000 people die. The best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated.
To find a clinic or pharmacy nearby that offers the flu vaccine, visit
Flushot.Healthmap.org.
