It’s late January, so the flu season’s almost over, right? NOT … says Polk County Health Department Director Dr. Ulyee Choe. According to Choe, we’ve got another two or even three months to battle the disease that has already caused the death of one Polk County child and sent 1,555 people to area hospitals.

It’s not as bad as Boston where a health emergency has been declared, but it is still a time to be vigilant in precautionary preventative measures like a flu shot, he says, but it is occurring at an elevated level throughout the state.