People in Los Angeles County are making more visits to emergency departments due to flu symptoms, as influenza cases increase across the country.
“It seems to be a more aggressive strain, and it seems to be a tougher problem,” said Sam Torbati, MD, co-chair and medical director of the Cedars-Sinai Emergency Department. “Last year, I don’t recall this many patients becoming this ill.”
Torbati noted that it is still early in Los Angeles’ 2026 flu season, since flu activity often begins on the East Coast before spreading west. “It may get much worse,” he said.
The Cedars-Sinai Newsroom spoke with Torbati about why patients are experiencing severe illness, approaches to treating the flu, and ways to prevent serious outcomes.
Torbati described that many older patients who live alone are at risk if they become sick and do not have someone checking on them. In these cases, individuals can become dehydrated or develop complications without prompt care. He also mentioned that patients with chronic diseases can quickly become debilitated by the flu and may require hospitalization for dehydration or bacterial infections.
“The flu, in and of itself, can cause significant problems for patients. It can make them very sick, can make them very much out of it to the point that they can’t stand, become dehydrated, and hospitalization becomes necessary to get them back on their feet,” Torbati explained.
Regarding the severity of this year’s flu season so far, Torbati said there was an uptick in cases starting around mid-December: “That spike in flu activity was similarly seen throughout the county. We’re seeing patients—the very young, the very old—everybody that gets affected by flu.” He added that forecasts from the southern hemisphere had indicated a moderately severe season was likely.
Common symptoms reported include fever, body ache, bone pain, runny nose and cough. According to Torbati: “The fever usually lasts anywhere from two to five days…But the average is a good seven to 10 days. So people should expect if they get sick, that it may take that long until they’re back to normal.”
For treatment recommendations, Torbati advised healthy younger people with mild symptoms to rest at home: “If you’re coughing a lot, take cough medication. If you have a fever, take Tylenol or Motrin. Rest, isolate, drink a lot of fluids so you don’t get dehydrated.” However, he emphasized that those with shortness of breath or underlying health conditions should consult a doctor or visit an emergency department if symptoms worsen. Some high-risk patients may be prescribed antiviral medication such as Tamiflu if started early enough.
On prevention strategies for serious illness from influenza this season Torbati stated: “It’s still not too late to get a vaccine. And although the vaccines are not perfect—they don’t completely prevent flu—there is ample evidence to show that they can reduce the severity of what flu does.”
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is located in Los Angeles and has been serving patients since its founding in 1902. The hospital admitted over 50,000 patients in 2022 according to its annual report. Thomas M. Priselac serves as its current president; Cedars-Sinai also operates pediatric wards and functions as a training hospital.
