Flu Sending More Ohioans To Hospitals

The Ohio Department of Health is reporting a spike in the number of people hospitalized with influenza. Department spokeswoman Shannon Libby says it's early to see so much flu activity, with case numbers typically going up in January or February. 863 Ohioans have been hospitalized with influenza this season, compared with just 65 by this time last season. Totals from early October through Dec. 22 included 326 hospitalized across the state during the week of Dec. 16-22. That compares with just nine hospitalized statewide with the flu during the same week in 2011. The Ohio Department of Health collects the data from city and county health departments and reports flu hospitalizations weekly.