A local doctor in El Paso has seen a rush of patients trying to get flu shots after the number of people sick with the flu has increased in recent weeks, both locally and nationwide.

"It has been particularly busy. The last couple of weeks with patients presenting with influenza type symptoms'. I think at this point in time we're half way through the flu season," said Dr. Sergio Ibarra of Southwest Urgent Care Center.

On Saturday afternoon he had about four people visiting his office because of flu symptoms.

The flu symptom, according to Ibarra, begins in October and ends around May.

By the mid-January in El Paso County there were 1,989 flu cases, when compare to last year in mid-January there were only 31 reported. And this flu season has been particularly tough on the elderly. In El Paso County, three elderly women have died after acquiring the influenza infection. All three also had underlying health conditions.

"The last two seasons have been very mild. I think that's part of the reason that a lot of people did not get their flu vaccine and that's why we're seeing a peak- an increase this year," said Ibarra.

According to the Center's for Disease Control and Prevention, this year's dominant strain is what's making people susceptible to the illness.

The El Paso County Health Department reported that there was close to a dozen people hospitalized because the influenza virus.

"Sometimes it's not one-hundred percent effective-- at best it's usually closer to sixty percent effective so some high risk patients unfortunately will run into come complications of the flu "

And because the U.S. is only half way through the flu season and the numbers continue to rise, Ibarra recommend that people go out and get a flu shot if they haven't already.
"I think we still have several weeks of the flu season and it might actually come back if the weather gets colder here in El Paso," said Ibarra.