WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Kansas health officials say the state is seeing a high number of influenza cases, with three deaths directly attributed to flu since Sept. 1.
The state Department of Health and Environment reported Tuesday that 5 percent of visits to clinic sites it monitors were due to influenza-like illness. The agency says flu or pneumonia contributed to 510 deaths during the current season, which began Sept. 1.
The season has seen the re-emergence of the A/H1N1 strain as the dominating virus. The same strain caused a pandemic in 2009, hitting children and young adults especially hard.
Health officials are encouraging everyone six months and older to get vaccinated.
KDHE Secretary Robert Moser has asked businesses to consider recommending their employees get vaccinated and encourage them to stay home when ill.
