More Than 900 Flu Cases Reported In Bergen County This Season

More than 940 flu cases have been diagnosed in Bergen County so far this flu season, the most of any county in the state.

A report by the New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) outlines that there is a "high" level of flu activity in New Jersey so far this season.

Local hospitals have seen a spike in the number of flu cases.

The Valley Medical Group's Primary and Urgent Care Center in Waldwick is seeing between 10 and 30 a day with flu-like symptoms, according to Seena Shekari, medical director.

The Valley Hospital Emergency Department averaged seven or eight people a day over the last seven weeks, said George Becker, the department's medical director.

Englewood Hospital and Medical Center did provide specific numbers, but spokesman Michael Chananie did confirm there has been "an uptick" so far this year and more adults with the flu have been admitted.

Of the 972 confirmed cases, 550 were influenza type A and 321 were type B. Eleven were the H1N1 strain of the virus and 90 were the AH3 strain.

Mommouth County has the next highest total with 883 confirmed cases.

New Jersey had more than 2,500 new flu cases during the week of Jan. 20 through 27, the most since the flu season began Oct. 7, according to the DOH. (Click here to read a comprehensive breakdown of cases throughout New Jersey.)

A 4-year-old girl died from the flu recently. She has been the only person to die from the illness in New Jersey this season.

The Department of Health said the girl was a resident of Central Jersey who was not vaccinated, but no other information was provided.

Since the season began, the state has had its highest number of emergency department visits in two years.

The total number of flu cases is nearly double what it was at this time last year: 7,332 in 2018 versus 4,228 in 2017, according to the DOH.

Doctors from Valley and Englewood Hospital recommend staying home if you feel sick, washing your hands frequently, wearing a mask outdoors if you are coughing often and getting a flu vaccine.

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Photo: A Walgreens employee holds a flu shot in Oakland, California in December 2014. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images