On Tuesday, the state reported that a Kenton County child died from the flu, marking the first pediatric flu death this season. Health officials added that the child was not vaccinated against the flu."How fast we've seen this i ncrease in cases has been record breaking," said Dr. Heather Felton, a pediatrician at Norton Children's Hospital.Norton Children's Hospital in Louisville reported around 1,500 flu cases last week alone. The Kentucky Department for Public Health said hospital visits among children younger than five are on the rise.Dr. Steven Stack, Secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, released a statement calling this a reminder that the flu isn't always a mild illness, especially for young children and people at high risk.Dr. Michael Dodd, an emergency physician at Baptist Health Lexington, said it's been an unusually busy flu season. He advises getting medical attention if flu symptoms persist for about a week or get worse."It's so variable to person to person. You might just have a cough or the sniffles. My advice is especially in older and younger folks. If you're worried and you're having labored breathing, high fevers to get check out. It's always better to come and get checked out," Dodd said.Doctors that spoke to LEX 18, advocate for getting vaccinated, calling it the best way to protect against the flu. Even though we are mid-season, vaccination is still recommended."It is not to late to get your vaccine now because we are seeing this increase in cases now and probably will see more when kids go back into school," Felton said.Health officials recommend staying home if you're sick or have been around someone who has been sick, washing your hands frequently, and getting plenty of rest. ...read more read less