Strong Flu Bug Spreading Across Jersey

A major influenza outbreak is sweeping across the Garden state with one doctor saying, "I’ve never seen anything like this."

During testimony before the Assembly Health Committee this morning,  Dr. Shelley Greenman, who works in the ER at Cooper University Hospital said “we are seeing unprecedented volumes of people coming into the emergency departments with flu – I’ve been in the ER for 21 years and frankly I’ve never seen anything like this… it’s really throwing people for a loop – they are really quite ill, and looking forward to being ill for about a week or so.”

This Particular Strain is Severe, Doctor Warns

The Chairman of the Health Committee, Dr. Herb Conaway, says he wants to make sure members of the public understand how serious this situation really is, and that they get flu shots.

"The particular flu strain is particularly severe, tends to cause more serious illness, unfortunately we’ve had two deaths in young children here in New Jersey," Dr. Conaway says, "The key message is get your flu vaccination.”

The Jersey Health Department has determined the level of influenza in Jersey right now is High. Doctors are recommending anyone who gets sick to not go to work, but instead to stay in bed and drink plenty of fluids.