Louisiana health officials say residents are being hit hard by the flu.
And a vaccine might not be that effective.
The New Orleans Advocate reports the designation of “widespread” usually doesn’t happen until January or February.
But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists Louisiana and Alaska as the only states with “widespread” outbreaks of influenza for the week ending November 22.
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is reporting an uptick in influenza reports.
Recent pharmaceutical data also reflect the outbreak in Louisiana.
Walgreens ranks New Orleans third and Baton Rouge sixth among metro areas hit hardest by flu cases the week of Thanksgiving.