SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - Flu season is underway.

Due to the government shutdown, the Centers for Disease Control flu numbers have not been updated since September 20th, but the Springfield-Greene County Health Department is showing 51 cases so far this season.

“We’re certainly seeing patients with upper respiratory infections, some just normal kind of allergy-type symptoms, others more acute bronchitis, and acute sinusitis,” said Cindy Griessel, a physician assistant at Mercy. “I do know there’s been a little bit of an uptick in flu and COVID cases presenting to the ER.”

Griessel said she doesn’t think the increased ER numbers are due to the severity of the illnesses, but rather to people not knowing where else to go for care. She said if patients haven’t established a primary care

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