The official flu status for Vermont was raised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday from low to moderate.
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According to the CDC, it occurs at a time when the virus is present in high numbers in numerous areas in the Northeast and across the nation.
Dr. Mark Levine, the state's health commissioner, said in a Friday interview that he fully anticipates the flu to spread throughout the state in the coming weeks.
Therefore, even a moderate level this early in the season is noteworthy, and everything is pointing in the direction of a soon-to-be-high level of activity, likely before the holidays, according to Levine.
The increase in cases follows a busy fall for hospitals. Many of them were flooded with cases of respiratory illnesses, like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which mainly afflicted children and young adults.
