WebMD Says Cold And Flu Season To Peak At New Year Week

(RTTNews) - The cold and flu season is a major concern during the holidays and the misery is expected to peak during the New Year.

Health information services provider WebMD Health Corp. (WBMD) has predicted that the 2015-2016 cold and flu season will peak during the first week of the New Year, with unseasonably warm temperatures having an ongoing impact on cold and flu trends.

The WebMD Cold and Flu Map data continues to show increasing rates of symptoms, trending toward a high level of activity early in the New Year. The Atlantic, Southeast, and Midwest regions are set to experience the highest levels of cold and flu symptoms in the country.

WebMD has released a list of the top 20 U.S. cities likely to experience highest rates of cold and flu symptoms early in the New Year.

According to the data, the top five cities expected to ring in the New Year with the highest levels of cold and flu symptoms include Richmond/Norfolk in Virginia, Knoxville in Tennessee, Louisville in Kentucky, Dallas/Fort Worth in Texas, and Nashville in Tennessee.

Cities that make up the remaining top ten of the list are Charlotte in North Carolina, Baltimore in Maryland/Washington, D.C., Roanoke in Virginia, Charleston in South Carolina, and Minneapolis/St. Paul in Minnesota.

WebMD's interactive map combines geo-location data and information compiled from four million monthly visits to the site's Symptom Checker.

The data is updated weekly and WebMD says it closely correlates with the CDC Cold and Flu Report. WebMD claims its models can predict cold and flu trends up to six weeks in advance.

Michael Smith, chief medical editor of WebMD said, "People are exposed to cold and flu germs on a daily basis. By being aware of symptom severity in their geographic area, consumers can make smart choices about preventative measures to protect themselves or their families and stay healthy during this cold and flu season."

The U.S. experiences epidemics of seasonal flu each year. This time of the year is called "flu season." In the U.S., flu season occurs in the winter. Flu outbreaks can happen as early as October and can last as late as May.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC has recommended that people get vaccinated against flu soon after the vaccine becomes available, if possible by October.