Louisiana is currently experiencing the largest number of early-season flu cases in the U.S. According to the CDC, the state’s positivity rate exceeds 11-percent, with the national average settling in at 3.5-percent.
Louisiana’s mild winters precipitate the spread of the virus. Low vaccination rates contribute to the higher numbers of infection.
Health officials are encouraging those who have not yet been vaccinated to get the vaccine so that they can be prepared for the winter months when case numbers will rise.