PORTLAND (AP) – The flu has become widespread in Maine and has yet to reach its peak, state officials say.

Last week Maine confirmed its first flu death, that of an Aroostook County man in his 80s, said Dr. Dora Anne Mills, director of the Maine Bureau of Health. Officials were trying to determine if Tuesday’s death of 22-year-old Penobscot County Jail inmate Jason Shank was flu-related.

Up to 8 percent of visits to health care providers last week were for flu symptoms, Mills said.

“That’s considered quite significant, and we have reports from a number of emergency rooms saying they are quite busy with influenza-like illness visits,” she said.

Mills said flu vaccines are still available for high-risk individuals. These include anyone over 65, children younger than two, pregnant women and adults with chronic diseases.

The determination that the flu was widespread came from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and reflects confirmation of outbreaks in at least half the state.

As recently as last week, Maine was one of a handful of states hanging on to their “sporadic” status, with just a small number of laboratory-confirmed influenza cases or a single outbreak reported.

Dr. Kathleen Gensheimer, state epidemiologist, said so far flu activity in Maine has been typical, but officials cannot predict how severe it will get.

“We’re certainly not at the peak of activity here in Maine,” she said. “With the holiday break, sometimes that does slow things up when kids are home and not in a congregate setting.”

People in high-risk categories should call their health care providers if they think they have the flu, Mills said. Flu symptoms include a sore throat, muscle aches and a sudden fever and can escalate into pneumonia and other life-threatening lung infections.

“Otherwise, if you are healthy and think you have the flu, you do not necessarily need to seek medical advice,” said Mills. “That is, unless you have a high sustained fever, say for four days or more, you are dehydrated or can’t keep fluids down, or if you have difficulty breathing or other severe symptoms.”

Abby Julien of Falmouth said Friday that two of her three children have been couch-ridden with the flu all week. She and her husband received flu shots, but her children did not.

“We’re kind of quarantining ourselves,” she said. “We’re playing lots of games and watching movies and trying to make sure not to give it to anyone else.”

AP-ES-12-27-03 1210EST