Public health officials have reported more than 6,800 cases of the flu in Arizona so far this flu season.
Terri Farneti is with the Yavapai County Health Department. She says the number of flu cases hasn’t peaked in that county yet, and the strain is affecting younger patients.
“Five- to 18-year-olds are double what it was last year as far as cases in Arizona, and the 50 years and up are either half or a quarter of what they were last year," she said. "Last year peaked right around mid January. This year it looks like we’re not as high as we were last year.”
By contrast, Maricopa County has reported more than twice as many cases as last year and confirmed one pediatric flu death.