The following 14 states, along with New York City, are now at the CDC's highest tier of influenza activity: Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire,

Patients young and old are filling up emergency rooms, urgent cares, and doctor’s offices to start the new year with flu symptoms across the Wiregrass. “For the past several weeks in the wiregrass, we have continued to see increasing cases of influenza,

Despite a recent 19% decrease in emergency department visits, health officials anticipate that Alabama's flu activity will remain at a high or very high level.

The Alabama Department of Public Health issued a statement about its current investigation into certain “adverse events” following an injection.

Most of the country is at "high" or "very high" levels, with only 9 of the lower 48 marked as "moderate" or lower. Alabama's infection rate remains high and, flu season isn't over

In Alabama only 64.8 percent of children received all recommended doses of the combined seven-vaccine series by the age of 24 months.

About 39.3% of adults in Alabama received a flu vaccine as of the week ending on January 4, compared to 43.2% nationwide. While lower than the national average, more adults are getting a flu vaccine this year, compared to 37.4% during the same time last year.

The Alabama Department of Public Health reports that there are 14,000 new HPV cases annually and 4,000 women die from the disease each year.

Rocephin is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections. There have been reports on social media of anaphylaxis and death in North Alabama in association with this medication

Vaccination rates for shots that prevent diseases like polio, measles and others have fallen dramatically for some of the youngest Alabamians over recent years.

Advocates are calling on congress to pass a bill to protect older adults from falling. The CDC says falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths for people 65 and older. Now, the bipartisan Stand Strong Falls Prevention Act could help.