So far, two people have gotten the flu this season.

The cases were reported the first week of tracking by the North Dakota Department of Health. No new cases have been reported.

"It isn't anything unusual to have sporadic reports here and there," said Michelle Feist, surveillance coordinator with the North Dakota Department of Health Disease Control.

The reports come from Cass and Dickey counties. No one was hospitalized. It was a male and a female who had the flu.

Reports of the flu crop up sporadically, with the peak tending to hit later in the winter. Last year there were two cases reported by this time in October, and five reports by the end of November.

People can boost their chances of not getting the flu by getting a flu shot. It can be given at a doctor's office, the county's public health unit, at pharmacies and other locations as advertised. Feist recommends people call first because doctors' offices and others have not received their full shipment of vaccine.

Other preventive measures to stay healthy include hand washing, staying home when sick, limiting time in public places when sick and coughing into the elbow, Feist said.

"Keep others around you healthy," Feist said.

The symptoms of flu are fever, chills, headache, dry cough and aching in the back, arms and legs. There are two main types of flu, type A and type B, with different strains.

The health department reports to the Centers for Disease Control what other strains of flu it has encountered. The CDC uses this information for creating flu vaccines, Feist said.

For more information about the flu, visit www.ndflu.com.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)