WILKES COUNTY, N.C. -- Six people are now dead in Wilkes County after a spike in flu cases. The Wilkes County Health Department said it has seen a significant spike in flu cases in the past few days alone.

• The county said it cannot track all flu cases across the county, only deaths
• 50 percent of the flu tests taken at the Department of Health’s clinic have come back positive
• The county said it is not too late to get a flu shot, but it does take about two weeks for immunity to kick in

Robertina Benitez’s two children both have the flu right now. "Fever, congestion, cold and sore throat,” she said.

Her kids are among the hundreds of flu cases coming in. The Wilkes County Health Department said too many turned deadly.

"Flu is widespread in North Carolina. We are seeing positive cases here on a daily basis,” said Debbie Nicholson, Director of Nursing at Wilkes County Health Department. "We have had six flu-related deaths since the beginning of flu season, which was October 1, 2018."

The county said it cannot track all flu cases across the county, only deaths. But it did say 50 percent of the flu tests taken at the Department of Health’s clinic have come back positive.

The big focus in the county is prevention, such as good hand-washing, and staying home if you're sick.

"Most healthy adults may be able to infect others beginning one day before your symptoms develop. So, you can spread it before you're aware that you're even sick,” Nicholson said.

The county said it is not too late to get a flu shot, but it does take about two weeks for immunity to kick in.

For now, Benitez is nursing her children back to health.

"I went to the doctors and got the medicines, and they told me to make my kids drink a lot of water and orange juice,” Benitez said.