MID-HUDSON – The H1N1 flu continues to be the dominant influenza in the Hudson Valley, health officials say.  That flu has become more widespread each week. A majority of patients reported at hospital emergency rooms are children and adults with mild to moderate flu like symptoms, Ulster County officials said.

Many schools are reporting significant rates of absenteeism and have taken proper infection control measures.

Flu is everywhere, according to Dutchess County Health Commissioner Dr. Michael Caldwell. Almost all of the flu activity so far this fall is caused by the H1N1 flu virus, although seasonal flu is expected to begin circulating later in the flu season, he said.

“Dutchess County residents have been diligent about getting their flu shots; unfortunately there is currently not enough seasonal flu vaccine to meet the demand,” he said. “We are also still in the early stages of 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine distribution.” Caldwell said the state Health Department is getting vaccine to healthcare providers as quickly as it is made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But, due to unanticipated production delays, large quantities of vaccine may not be available until mid-November or later, he said.

In Ulster County, officials said healthcare providers who registered to receive H1N1 vaccine have begun receiving relatively small shipments from the CDC.