A warning from health officials was issued Friday as respiratory illness cases are spiking across the country. The CDC says 35 states, including Illinois, are now reporting at high levels. Two young children in Chicago have recently died from the flu,

Kane County hospitals see a rise in emergency room visits for flu and other respiratory illnesses, following a nationwide trend.

It comes after no children died of the seasonal flu during the 2023-24 season, which runs from September to May, according to the agency.

Health officials in Chicago confirmed the city’s first pediatric seasonal flu-related deaths of 2025 this week. According to officials from the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), two children,

This announcement from the Chicago Department of Public Health comes as respiratory viruses continue to spread across the city.

The increase in cases in the state comes as a Louisiana man with underlying health conditions died from the disease on Monday. Experts say those who come into contact with wild birds or other animals like cattle should take precautions.

An increase in cases of COVID, RSV, norovirus and the flu is being referred to as the "winter quad-demic." The Chicago Department of Public Health said two children under the age of 2 have died due to the flu this year.

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CPDH) says the two children who died of influenza were under the age of two-years-old. Chicago did not have any pediatric flu deaths last year.