Mild flu season winding down; virus still widespread in Northeast

NEW YORK (AP) -- Flu season is winding down, and it's been a relatively mild one.

It's not over - flu is still widespread in 14 states, mostly in the Northeast.

But health officials on Friday said the season peaked in early March and reports of flu are steadily declining.

This season is in stark contrast to the last three, when illnesses peaked by late December.

In each of those seasons - considered moderate to severe - more than 100 children died of the flu. So far this season, there have been 56 child flu deaths.

This season was dominated by a milder flu strain that's been around for years. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials say the flu vaccine was a good match.