Now that flu season is underway in the state, doctors and other health care providers are reminding the public what they can do to prevent the virus from spreading.

“It’s definitely not too late to get the flu vaccine,” said Dr. Kevin Torres, medical director of clinical access for Lawrence + Memorial Medical Group and a physician at L+M at Crossroads, a walk-in clinic in Waterford. “And if you are sneezing, coughing and have a fever, you shouldn’t be around other people. You need to listen to your body.” 

As of Jan. 9, the state has seen about 180 confirmed cases of influenza, most of them the Type A virus which appears to be good match with the strain in this year’s vaccine. Of those, 76 patients were hospitalized.

While most of cases in the state have been in Fairfield and Hartford counties, New London County has seen about a dozen cases thus far and Windham County has seen four. The data was released by the state Department of Public Health on Thursday.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, flu activity so far this year is well below levels at the same time in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.

“It’s starting incredibly late,” said Rhonda Susman, director of infection prevention and control at L+M Hospital in New London.

L+M physicians have treated only three patients with confirmed cases since October, the most recent on Jan. 1, she said. More than 1,000 patients with other types of upper respiratory infections have been tested for the flu since fall, she said.

The three confirmed cases were in a 12-year-old, a 69-year-old and a 92-year-old. Of those, only the 92-year-old patient needed to be hospitalized, Susman said.

Susman believes the relatively warm temperatures so far this winter, coupled with more people getting the vaccine, is responsible for keeping flu activity low up to now. But that could change, and there’s still a risk of catching the virus.

Susman advised that in addition to getting the vaccine, people also exercise caution when going to public places.

At the grocery store, for example, shoppers should use hand sanitizer regularly and wipe the grocery cart handle to avoid picking up germs from the last shopper, she said.

“And don’t touch your face when you’re shopping,” she said, explaining that germs can be picked up from inanimate surfaces, then infect the body through the eyes or mouth.

Dr. Tony Schwartz, physician with CONNCare, the outpatient medical service network of The William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, stressed frequent hand-washing and protecting others when someone is sick with the virus.

“The best prevention is good hand hygiene,” he said. “And if someone is sick, the best thing to do is to put a mask on them if you’re concerned about someone else catching it, especially someone with a weakened immune system.”

Backus and its affiliates have treated about 13 cases of Type A flu and two cases of Type B since Nov. 8, Schwartz said.

“Activity is low so far, but it is increasing,” he said.

For most people, flu symptoms of sneezing, headaches, body aches and fever — usually of 101 degrees or higher — lasts five to seven days, doctors said. Rest and plenty of fluids are the main remedy.

But especially for those with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, other chronic respiratory conditions or compromised immunity, it can develop into pneumonia or other serious illnesses. 

“It’s the secondary stuff we worry about,” Dr. Torres said. “For people with breathing issues, the flu can make it worse.”

Dr. Schwartz said that while it’s not too late to get the flu vaccine, people should realize that it doesn’t protect them immediately.

“The flu shot can take up to two weeks to stimulate the body’s immune response,” he said.

j.benson@theday.com

Twitter: @BensonJudy

For information about the flu vaccine and steps to prevent getting the flu, visit http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3155&q=500340