BOSTON (CBS) – Over the last month, there has been a sharp rise in the number of people with flu-like symptoms visiting Boston emergency rooms.

According to the Boston Public Health Commission, the number of patients nearly doubled between December 4 and January 8.

More than a third of all confirmed flu cases in the last two weeks have been in children under the age of 17. The sharpest increase in flu-symptoms has been in children under the age of five, which doctors say is a sign of things to come.

WBZ-TV’s Kate Merrill reports.

“If we’re seeing this level of flu activity in children, then adults are likely to soon follow,” said Dr. Anita Barry, director of the Infectious Disease Bureau at the Boston Public Health Commission. “Influenza often starts in a community in children, then spreads to adults.”

Flu symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, fatigue, sore throat and dry cough.

“Fortunately, influenza vaccine is still plentiful,” Dr. Barry said. “People should seek out the vaccine since flu is going to be around for a while.”