Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) officials reported regional activity to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today, following nine weeks at the highest level, widespread activity. Regional activity is the second highest level of activity, and is defined as outbreaks of influenza or increases in influenza-like illness and recent laboratory confirmed influenza in at least two but less than half the regions of the state with recent laboratory evidence of influenza in those regions.

The activity levels for states are tracked weekly as part of the CDC’s national flu surveillance system.

The flu season can begin as early as October and last through May, and usually peaks between January and March. There is still time to get vaccinated against the flu. While it takes about two weeks for immunity to develop and offer protection against flu, illness continues to circulate in the state.