JACKSON Miss The flu season is off and running in the Deep South The most recent weekly flu report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds high levels of flu-like illness in Alabama Arkansas Georgia Nevada South Carolina and Texas The highest level in that report for the week ended Nov 16 was in Mississippi Doctors in the Magnolia State say theyre already seeing lots of patients Dr Darren Scoggin of Childrens Medical Group in Jackson tells WLBT-TV that travel and family gatherings can help contribute to the flus spread CDC officials say its not too late to get vaccinated They say the flu vaccine is the best way to prevent flu and its complications So far in the 2019-2020 flu season CDC has reported four flu-associated deaths among children