If you or a loved one hasn't caught the flu bug this year, consider yourselves lucky. It's one of the worst flu seasons on record, and to make matters worse, hospitals are beginning to run out of IV bags.

Emergency rooms nationwide are feeling the effects of the shortage. They're seeing more flu patients than usual, and those patients are often dehydrated when they arrive.

Because of that, they need a nurse to administer fluids. Without a plentiful supply of IV bags, the process is becoming difficult.

Hurricane Maria is to blame for the nationwide shortage. Most of the bags are manufactured in Puerto Rico. The hurricane wiped out many of those manufacturing facilities, causing hospitals staff and ambulance companies to scramble to find another source for their supply.

In Georgia so far, five deaths have been associated with the flu.

CBS46 talked with officials at Emory who say they're "coping okay" with the IV bag shortage and that they believe the shortage could be alleviated soon.

Stay with CBS46 for updates.

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