BISMARCK, ND (KXNET) — Clinics across North Dakota are seeing a sharp rise in Influenza A cases, and health officials are urging residents to take precautions as severe symptoms and hospitalizations increase. Dr. Waqas Z. Kayani, Vice-Department Chair of the Family Medicine Department at CHI St. Alexius in Bismarck, said, “Everybody’s coming in with the flu.” Angie Seidel, Health Services Program Coordinator at Bismarck Public Health, echoed those concerns. “We’ve seen a big jump in influenza numbers, especially in this community.” Flu viruses primarily spread through droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. These droplets can land on people nearby or on surfaces that others might touch. Dr. Kayani described common flu symptoms: “The significant body aches, the elevated temperatures that you’re going to see that are a body temperature of greater than 100.5 — you start to see that, and it starts to rise higher and higher. That’s a pretty good indication that you probably have the flu, especially if you start to associate that with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, sweats, chills — all of that stuff together.” Flu, COVID, RSV all rising in recent weeks Health experts warn that individuals with the flu can spread the virus one day before symptoms appear and up to seven days after. Children and people with weakened immune systems may remain contagious even longer. “I have had patients that are completely fine in terms of their medical condition, and they spent five days in the hospital because they got the flu, and then on top of that, they got a pneumonia, and it can just snowball very quickly,” Dr. Kayani said. Doctors continue to stress that the flu vaccine is the most effective way to reduce severe symptoms and prevent hospitalizations. “It is not too late to get the flu shot," Dr. Kayani said. "It is still available. Go to Costco. You can go to your pharmacy. There’s so many places out here that will get you the vaccine very quickly. And out the door you go.” Despite warnings, vaccination rates in North Dakota remain low. Only 24.2 percent of residents ages six months and older have received a flu vaccine for the 2024–2025 season. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW