This year's flu season has already killed 53 children and hospitals are overflowing with patients. Authorities are warning that a few weeks are still left and everyone should take precautions.

New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said at a press conference Tuesday, "The flu is prevalent in every single state of the continental US."

[What you can do to help stay flu-free]

The Centers for Disease Control reports that 14,676 people have been hospitalized with the flu since the season began in October. That's double the amount last year and the highest number recorded since the government started tracking it in 2010.

Dr. Donald Curtis, a physician at Patient First Neighborhood Medical Center in Virginia Beach, told CBN News that patients have similar complaints. "The types of symptoms we're seeing—dry cough, muscle ache, fevers, headaches, quick onset of the symptoms," he explained.

Sixteen children died from the flu last week, including seven-year-old Savanna Jessie of Columbus, Indiana. She tested positive for the flu and died just one day after being rushed to the hospital. Courtney Hargett, her aunt, said "everybody is devastated. You never expect this to happen to you."

Some schools are shutting down for days at a time to stop the spread. Holy Angels Catholic School in Aurora, Illinois closed its doors after more than a quarter of its students got sick. In Alabama, the Marshall County School District closed after both students and staff became ill.

Tony Simmons, the school board vice president explained, "Our hospitals are filled. They don't even have rooms for our children. This way our children can stay home, get healed and we can get them back in school."

"The effectiveness [of the flu vaccine] is 30 percent," said Bassett. It means that it reduces your chance of getting the flu by one-third. That's not zero. What is zero is not getting the vaccine protection."

Doctors also recommend avoiding people with the flu because they can breathe the virus out in particles that hover in the air. They suggest washing hands frequently since the virus can live on hard surfaces up to a day. Probiotics, adequate sleep and stress management can also help to strengthen the immune system.

Most flu seasons last up to 20 weeks. Authorities say this season still has several more weeks to go.

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

'Absolutely a Miracle': Teen Hiker Rescued after Falling Off Cliff in Georgia While Taking Picture

Bill Gates Funnels Hundreds of Millions of Dollars to Sink Twitter If Elon Musk Restores Free Speech

Report: World Health Assembly Unlikely to Pass Pandemic Treaty, but Biden Amendments Surrendering Sovereignty Are on the Table

Top GOP Candidates Running for Michigan Governor 'Victimized' by Flawed Petitioners Yielding Thousands of Invalid Signatures; Now Ineligible for Ballot

Use 'Gene-Giver' or 'Stork,' Not 'Mother,' Says Science Teachers Association

Biden Admin: K-12 Schools Must Put Boys in Girls' Bathrooms to Get Federal Lunch Money

'Don't Take a Second for Granted. Hug Your Family. Tell Them You Love Them': Details Emerge of the Some of the Children Killed in the Texas School Shooting

'May the Lord Be Near the Brokenhearted': Horror, Heartache and Heroism in Texas School Massacre

Heroic Border Patrol Agent With a Gun Ended Texas School Shooter's Murderous Rampage

Chris Pratt, Katherine Schwarzenegger Welcome Their Second Daughter: 'We Feel Beyond Blessed'

'I Was Going to Do Anything...to Protect These Kids': Gentle, Petite Teacher Hailed Hero after Tackling School Intruder

Years after Suicide Attempt, Here's the Urgent Message This Missionary Has for Fellow Black Americans

NASA Says 'Something Weird' Is Going on in the Universe

Washington Post Admits 'Voting Is Surging in Georgia' Despite Previous Reports, Claims About Voter Suppression

Maine Department of Education Removes Kindergarten LGBT Lesson from Website Following Backlash

'Swift Backlash': Following a Corporate Memo Leak, State Farm Says They're Discontinuing Support for 'GenderCool' Project That Would've Donated Trans Agenda Books to 5-Year-olds

'War Zone' at US-Mexico Border 'Worse' than What I Saw at Poland-Ukraine Border, Says Senator Roger Marshall

PRAY: 'Horrific Tragedy'; 14 Children, 1 Teacher Killed in Texas Elementary School Shooting; Suspected Gunman Also Killed

Ukraine War Kids, 'Forgotten Children' to Taste Joy at Summer Camps

'Miracle' Landing: Florida Pilot Passes Out; Passenger with No Flight Experience Takes Over with 'Hand of God'