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Confirmed cases of the flu on the rise in Erie County

This news came as several Western New York school districts, concerned about the flu spreading in their districts, canceled classes Friday.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — New numbers from the Erie County Health Department show flu cases are on the rise in the county. 

And the flu is still considered widespread throughout the entire state. 

This news came as several Western New York school districts, concerned about the flu spreading in their districts, canceled classes Friday. 

To give you some perspective, according to the health department last week, there were 645 confirmed new cases of the flu in Erie County.

That's slightly higher than the previous week. It's also four times higher than at this time a year ago, just an example of how fast the flu has been spreading.

Responding to concerns about the flu, Gowanda Central Schools were closed Friday, and that will remain the case over the weekend. 

Flu concerns also contributed to closures at Cattaragus Little Valley, Salamanca, Oakfield Alabama and Randolph Schools.

"I think the key is really to clean, and so after all the kids leave the school, it's important that the schools wash everything down wash down. The desktops, the counter tops, where people are eating, the door knobs, and really keep it clean," Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu usually peaks between December and February, and that certainly has happened in Erie County this year. 

The CDC says that while flu season can last until May, historically, there are major drops in flu numbers in early spring. 

Last year in Erie County, we started in see a significant reduction in cases of the flu in April. The year before that it was March.

The flu can be quite unpredictable and can vary year to year.

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