Flu Overwhelms Chicago-area Hospitals

By Samantha Abernethy in News on Jan 8, 2013 8:30PM

The flu season is hitting Chicago early, and at least eight Chicago-area hospitals have been forced to temporarily turn away patients with non-life-threatening injures from emergency rooms as a result.

Illinois Department of Public Health spokeswoman Melaney Arnold told WBEZ that almost 150 people have been admitted to intensive care units with the flu this season and five have died.

While the beds are full, there's no shortage of flu vaccines. Call 311 and the Chicago Department of Public Health to find out where to get a free flu shot.

According to the Sun-Times, 11 Illinois hospitals have been forced to turn away patients at one point. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has listed Illinois among 29 states experiencing "high" flu activity through the end of 2012.

Things are worse in Indiana, though, where seven people have died from the flu. Authorities say five of those who died were over 65 years old and two others were under 18.