Groundhog Day report: Flu worsens

NEW YORK

It looks like Groundhog Day for the nation’s flu report, too: It’s gotten worse and there are weeks of suffering ahead.

The government’s report out Friday showed the flu season continued to intensify last week.

One of every 14 visits to doctors and clinics were for fever, cough and other symptoms of the flu. That’s the highest level since the swine-flu pandemic in 2009. Last week, 42 states reported high patient traffic for the flu, up from 39.

Hospital stays because of the flu also increased.