Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses, Type A or B.. It can cause mild to severe illness. Older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk of serious flu complications, while most other people have mild symptoms. The virus infects the nose, throat and sometimes the lungs. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches and fatigue. The virus spreads by droplets from people sneezing or coughing and by people touching the surfaces or objects where the droplets landed and then touching their face orifices. People are infectious from 1 day prior to the onset of symptoms to 7 days after becoming sick. During flu “season,” 3-11% of the U.S. population gets infected. The flu can be prevented by a flu vaccine or treated by antiviral drugs. The current flu season is rated as severe.
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