CHICAGO (AP) — Seasonal flu is making an earlier appearance in Illinois this year.

Figures released Friday by the Illinois Department of Public Health show more people getting sick, more positive lab tests and more people hospitalized compared to this time last year.

The story is similar throughout Illinois. A suburban Chicago high school closed briefly last week because a quarter of the students were absent with flu-like illnesses.

So far this season, 115 people have been admitted to Illinois hospital intensive care units with influenza, according to the state health department flu data.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Illinois is one of 14 states where the flu is already widespread and it’s one of six states where doctor’s offices are seeing influenza-like illness at rates much higher than average.
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