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The Oklahoma State Department of Health is warning people that influenza can be as deadly as COVID.

In an updated influenza report released through its social media, OSDH issued a dire warning this week that says 14 people have died in just under a week in Oklahoma of this year’s influenza strain. Data does not say whether the deceased were or were not vaccinated.

Data does show that between November 7 and December 3 – the most recent reporting period – 375 news cases of influenza needing hospitalization were reported by medical authorities. A total of 988 Oklahomans have now been hospitalized since the flu season since September 1 when the first hospitalization of an individual with the flu was reported to OSDH.

Eight of the 14 who have died were over the age of 65, five were between 50 and 64 years old, and one was over 18 but under 49. According to OSDH, this data indicates the need for adults in particular to obtain a flu shot as they can not only suffer worse symptoms than usual but also carry the disease into the community where others can be easily infected.

OSDH says if you are suffering from the combined symptoms of fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle and body aches, and fatigue then you definitely have the flu. Some people also experience nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, although those symptoms are more common in children than adults.