COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) - The flu season remains active in Branch County in combination with summer like temperatures and high tree pollen alerts much to the discomfort of allergy sufferers.

Officials with the Branch-Hillsdale St. Joseph Community Health Agency issued a reminder that flu cases are still being reported and they pointed to last week’s closing of the St. Charles Borromeo School in Coldwater for two days because of the flu. The health department has figures available on flu like disease and gastro-intestinal illnesses in the county for January and February of this year. In January, cases of flu like diseases in the county being reported were down compared to a year ago, falling from 90 to 74 while last month, activity picked up but was comparable in the year to year numbers with 105 this year and 108 a year ago this month.

As for the stomach sickness, it’s way up this winter, 315 cases last month versus just 153 a year ago. January also showed an increase, although not as noteworthy, jumping up from 248 to 277.