Doctors feared that flu season will be harsher this year, and they were right. The mortality rate from flu has surpassed the 2013 total, according to The Press Enterprise, and the numbers are dreaded to increase.

In California alone, flu-related deaths have reached 147, a considerable increase from 2013 which recorded 106 deaths from influenza. The statistics are feared to increase, as 44 deaths in the state are being investigated, especially since the impact of influenza reportedly peaks in January and February, adds The Press Enterprise.

State Health Officer Dr. Ron Chapman continues to push people to get vaccinated as the flu season worsens. In a report by Reuters, he said, "This influenza season continues to be a severe one as the increasing number of influenza-related deaths indicates; Once again, I urge all Californians to get vaccinated."

Authorities are also cautioning Californians to limit their contact with others if they have unfortunately contracted the virus.

Meanwhile, the state of Tennessee is seeing a similar trend in the increase of flu-related deaths. According to News Channel 5, 19 Middle Tennesseans have reportedly died from influenza complications, surpassing the 2009-2010 H1N1 pandemic, and even the 2012-2013 flu season toll.

Most of the victims are between the ages of 41 and 64 years old, News Channel 5 notes. One particular victim, a 46-year-old man, had not had a flu shot. He left behind a wife and three children.

In an earlier Reuters report, Texas has reportedly suffered a spread of the flu virus, with the state being one of the harder hit locations in the United States. At least 25 people have expired from influenza infection, despite the issuance of an "influenza health alert" by the Texas Department of State Health Services in December.

Health officials across the country are urging people to get their flu shot immediately, and to consider antiviral treatment even if the tests yield a negative result, continued the Reuters report. They caution that the key to staying healthy and keeping alive is preventative care.

Some hospitals, like the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, have reportedly issued strict regulations in dealing with patient care to prevent the spread of flu, even requiring patients to wear masks if they are suspected of being infected with the influenza strain says The Press Enterprise.

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