Each winter, millions of people suffer from the flu. The flu, short for influenza, is a virus that infects the nose, throat, and lungs. It spreads from person to person, such as when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Usually the flu is a mild disease in healthy children, young adults, and middle-aged people. However, it can be life-threatening in older adults and in people of any age who have chronic problems, such as diabetes, chronic lung disease, asthma, or heart failure. Pregnant women are also at high risk.
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