The flu is spread when a person who has the virus sneezes or coughs into the air or onto a surface. When someone breathes in or touches his or her eyes, nose or mouth after touching an item contaminated with the virus, he or she may contract the flu.
The flu is the sixth leading cause of death among American adults. Each year, an average of 226,000 people are hospitalized and 36,000 people die from the flu.