Flu widespread across US for third straight week

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By MIKE STOBBE
AP Medical Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - Sick with the flu? You've got a lot of company.

The flu blanketed the U.S. again last week for the third straight week. Only Hawaii has been spared.

The government doesn't track every flu case but comes up with estimates. One measure is how many people seek medical care.

Last week, 1 in 15 doctor visits were for symptoms of the flu. That's the highest level since the swine flu pandemic in 2009.

Thirty-nine states reported high flu traffic last week, up from 32 the week before.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that hospital stays and deaths from the flu so far haven't been as high as in some other recent flu seasons.

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