It’s killed 46 people statewide since October. Here are 4 things to know about the flu.

It’s time to wash those hands. And then wash them again, and again, and again.

The number of flu cases have spiked. The state Department of Health says there have been 46 lab-confirmed flu deaths since October. That’s nearly double the number of flu fatalities it had reported the previous week.

“I believe there were 17 additional cases,” Julie Graham, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health, told The Olympian. “There’s a lot of flu in the community right now, across the state.”

Here’s what you need to know:

1. It’s a doozy this year.

“This is a bad bug,” Dr. Daniel Jernigan, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Influenza Division, said in a KIRO-7 story. “What we’re seeing this year, the influenza season started earlier and seems to be peaking right about now. That’s about a month earlier than it normally would be peaking so lots of cases are happening, in lots of states, all at the same time.”

2. It can be fatal.

Of the 46 lab-confirmed flu deaths in the state of Washington for the 2017-18 season, which began in October, 1 person was in Thurston County and 7 were in Pierce County, according to the Department of Health’s weekly flu update that was released on Friday.

“Most deaths have occurred in people with underlying health conditions or in people with no pre-existing conditions but who were elderly,” the update stated.

In addition, flu deaths tend to be underreported because flu isn’t always listed as a cause of death, state officials say.

The most common flu symptoms include fever, plus cough and/or a sore throat. Some people get a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, fatigue and diarrhea.

This year’s dominant strain, H3N2, is particularly dangerous for children and the elderly, KING-5 reports.

3. It’s not too late to get a flu shot.

Annual flu vaccines are recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older. For more information, including links on where to get a flu shot, go to http://bit.ly/2DhTTU6.

4. It can be prevented.

Thurston County Health Officer Dr. Rachel Wood says the best ways to prevent illness include frequent hand washing with warm soapy water, covering coughs and sneezes with the crook of your elbow, cleaning high-use surface areas such as door knobs and light switches, getting a flu shot, and staying home if you’re sick.

This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 12:36 PM with the headline "It’s killed 46 people statewide since October. Here are 4 things to know about the flu.."