Despite a possible nationwide peak in the reported cases, the next few months of the flu season are still dangerous.

The latest weekly flu report from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 39 states still experiencing “high activity” at clinics and hospitals related to the flu, four less states that the previous report.

It’s too early to say with certainty that we’ve hit the national peak.

Here in Tift County, there have been roughly 490 confirmed flu cases at Tift Regional Medical Center as of Feb. 18, according to data from Tift Regional Health Systems.

By comparison, at this time last year, TRMC was sitting at approximately 150 confirmed cases.

The predominant strain of flu circulating in Georgia and around the country is influenza A (H3N2). This strain can be particularly hard on the very young, people over age 65, or those with existing medical conditions. H3N2 is one of the strains contained in this year’s flu vaccine along with two or three others, depending on the vaccine.

Flu symptoms and their intensity can vary from person to person, and can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. People who think they have the flu are encouraged to call or visit their doctor.

The Georgia Department of Health recommends the following steps to help prevent getting and spreading the flu virus.

• Frequent and thorough hand-washing with soap and warm water.

Alcohol based gels are the next best thing if you don’t have access

to soap and water.

• Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing to help

prevent the spread of the flu. Use a tissue or cough or sneeze into the

crook of your elbow or arm.

• Avoid touching your face as flu germs can get into the body through

mucus membranes of the nose, mouth and eyes.

• If you are sick, stay home from school or work. Flu sufferers should

be free of a fever, without the use of a fever reducer, for at least 24

hours before returning to school or work.

If you are caring for a sick individual at home, keep them away from common areas of the house and other people as much as possible.

If you have more than one bathroom, have the sick person use one and well people use the other.

Clean the sick room and the bathroom once a day with household disinfectant.

Thoroughly clean linens, eating utensils, and dishes used by the sick person before reusing.

To learn more about influenza log on to www.flu.gov.