Worst of bad U.S. flu season is over as illnesses decline

The worst of the nation's nasty flu season is finally over.

U.S. health officials said Friday that the flu season apparently peaked in early February and has been falling since then.

The number of people going to the doctor with symptoms of the flu has continued to decline. Deaths from the flu or pneumonia are going down, too. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 32 states reported heavy patient flu traffic last week, down from 43 a month ago.

This flu season started early and the intensity level was among the highest seen in a decade. The flu vaccine didn't work very well this season and health officials are still trying to figure out why.