Texas is one of five states that's seen an increase in suspected flu cases so far this year. But, as KJZZ's Mark Brodie reports, that's not the case in other western states.

The federal centers for disease control and prevention say Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana all have high levels of flu activity so far. The agency says this year's flu season is off to one of the earliest starts in a decade, and that it could be a bad one. But, other western states are reporting minimal flu activity.

The Arizona Department of Health Services' latest report, spanning November 18-24, shows only sporadic flu activity. The state saw its first case in late October. Last year, Arizona didn't see a case of the flu until mid-December. So far, ADHS reports 70 confirmed flu cases in the state, 30 of them in Maricopa County.