Flu bug biting Southern Oregon hard

In Jackson County, 4.77 percent of all emergency room visits last week were to treat flu-like illnesses, more than double the statewide average of 2.1 percent the same week, according to numbers provided by Jackson County Health and Human Services and the Oregon Health Authority. Jackson County Health Officer Dr. Jim Shames said this year’s flu vaccine is a “good match” for the strain going around, identified as Influenza A H3N2.