For some residents it’s easy to chalk up seasonal symptoms to simply “winter in the Ohio Valley,” but the reality is there are some serious illnesses spreading across the Buckeye State.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data reported by WOIO, Ohio has been bumped up from “high” to “very high” for the number of influenza cases being tracked.

Visits to medical facilities for flu-like symptoms are up 30.8% from the previous week. Visits to emergency rooms are up 15.6% from the previous week; and, according to WOIO’s reporting, thermometer sales are up 7.4%.

For the week ended Feb. 10, the West Central region had 111 hospitalizations for flu, the Northeast had 98, the Southwest had 90, the East Central had 83, the Central had 78, the Northwest had 62 and the Southeast had 36, according to Ohio Department of Health data.

Meanwhile, the CDC says the rate of all respiratory illnesses is also listed as “very high” for Ohio. At the top of that list is H1N1.

For many, that might mean just a day or two off work or school while we rest and allow our bodies to fight off the illness. But for those in vulnerable groups this onslaught could be dangerous — even deadly.

Let’s not forget what we learned just a few years ago about stemming the spread. Those tactics still apply. Wash and sanitize your hands often, cover your coughs and sneezes, maintain your distance, stay home if you are ill (and test), and even put on a mask if you deem it necessary.

Oh, and keep up with your vaccinations.