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Deadly flu season leads to health emergency

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    Molly Line reports from Boston

  • Duration 2:56
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Anything happen.

All right -- -- is the worst flu outbreak in at least a decade and it is doing a number on people across this country.

The virus is reported at least 41 states with 29 states reporting hi or severe levels of -- Boston's mayor says that his city.

Is under -- is declaring a public health emergency the state of Massachusetts reporting eighteen flu related deaths so far.

And the hospitals can barely contain all the people pouring into them.

We're seeing significant rates of hospitalization.

I'm much more serious than we've seen in the last two years.

-- I live from Boston -- -- asked.

What can you tell us and I hope you had a flu shot.

That I have to -- that actually.

-- -- and 700 cases of flu across the city of Boston this flu season that is up dramatically over last season at this time when there have been just seventy cases.

It's so bad that as you mentioned Boston's -- declare this an emergency they want to bring attention to this problem encourage people to take precautions.

-- get out there and get their flu shots that they haven't done so already there have then eighteen deaths as you mentioned across the state.

Four of those deaths have been in Boston we've been told that those were mostly older people that compares to just one death and all of the flu season.

Last year here in the city officials with the Boston health commission are reiterating the seriousness of the numbers that this that the mayor here spoken about.

We have.

A terrible problem on our hands with lots of people sick with flu.

The 700 cases -- mentioned are confirmed cases.

But there are thousands of other people who are sick with influenza like illness.

The officials are also saying this is a particularly virulent strain of the flu it's the -- -- H three influenza strain.

It's unknown to cause more serious illness and a have a far more serious outcome which explains why -- things have been so bad this year the CDC however says that this H three strain.

Is actually covered in the flu vaccine it's being.

Offers so others authorities here are urging people to get up there get that flu shot Martha yet they say he had the shot you're like they get it out a week careful Lil if you do get it.

But some of the areas of the city we understand -- getting harder hit than others wise that.

Yet Roxbury Matta and Dorchester those -- the areas of Boston that authorities are getting hit hardest -- -- minority neighborhoods neighborhoods urban areas where the population is close together.

And -- -- people that make less -- money as in these neighborhoods that's the type of a population they have in these neighborhoods they're less likely to see the doctor less likely take time off.

From work.

And more likely to go to work which means they could be spreading the -- their co workers as well so that's a domino effect.

And at this hospital -- this -- Boston Medical Center one of the hospitals that serve that population 85 cases just in the last week how.

Activists at a take any precautions that they can.

In this Molly thank you very much did -- you.

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