2 Flu Cases Confirmed in Gallatin County

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — Gallatin County has the first two confirmed cases of influenza in Montana this season.

The Gallatin City-County Health Department says the cases were confirmed in two adolescent boys.

City-County health officer Matt Kelley is encouraging residents to get flu shots, to protect themselves and others who might be vulnerable to the virus.

National, state, tribal and local public health authorities strongly recommend an annual influenza vaccination for everyone older than six months.

Flu symptoms include fever and chills, cough, sore throat, headaches, muscle aches, runny or stuffy nose and fatigue.

State health officials say there were more than 10,500 laboratory-confirmed or suspected cases of flu during the 2012-13 influenza season, 361 people were hospitalized and the deaths of 15 people were directly attributed to the flu.