Sneezing, coughing, fevers and people out sick from school or work for one reason or another. All signs that something is going on. That “something,” according to the Centers for Disease Control is an outbreak of influenza, or the flu, that came earlier this year and is producing more cases of infection than in recent less active seasons.

CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden reported on Friday that 47 states reported widespread geographic influenza activity, up from 41 the week before.

“Influenza will continue for several more weeks. During the past decades, we have seen an average of about 12 consecutive weeks, three months of the ILI being elevated,” Frieden said. “As we often say, the only thing predictable about flu is that it’s unpredictable. Only time will tell us how long our season will last and how moderate or how severe this season will be in the end.”