CHENANGO COUNTY — The 2014 - 2015 flu season has returned to an epidemic level, according to the latest set of figures from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and personnel from the Chenango County Public Health Department are offering tips to keep your family safe from this year's Flu.

Technically, an epidemic means that the prevalence is higher than usual number of cases. Nationwide, 8.5 percent of deaths reported in the U.S. for the week ending January 10 were due to pneumonia and influenza, which is slightly higher than this time last year. The CDC does not track adult deaths, however it does keep track of the number of children who die after having the flu.

According to the CDC, there were an additional 19 children who died since the numbers for the United States were reported last week, bringing this flu seasons' pediatric death toll up to 45 – a marked increase over the 27 deaths reported this time last year.

“You may have heard that the flu vaccine isn’t working very well this year, and that is true,” Darlene Gramstad Chenango County Public Heath Department Director of Patient Services. “Although this year’s vaccine does not seem to be working as well as we had hoped against the H3N2 (influenza A) viruses, although it is proving to be effective against other strains of flu. Vaccination is still the best protection against the flu, and it can reduce hospitalizations and deaths,” she said.

Gramstad indicates that there have been approximately 140 confirmed cases withing Chenango County this season. “And those are just the cases that have been reported to us, there could be many more,” said Gramstad.

Last year, though, was considered a milder flu season.

In that flu season, like with this one, the H3N2 strain of the virus was found in most of the samples taken from people who were sick. However, “that strain of virus is nastier, since it sends more people to the hospital than other strains,” said CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden.

Still, according to McCarty, “The best way to avoid the flu is to get a flu vaccine every year.”

“The flu virus spreads from person to person in droplet form by common activities such as talking, coughing, and sneezing,” said Barb McCarty, Immunization Coordinator, Chenango County Department of Health.

The virus is also easily spread by touching items – such as door knobs and telephones – and then touching your nose, mouth or eyes. “It is important to wash your hands often, and cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze,” said the release.