'You should get the flu shot': CDC says fatal flu outbreak across the US reaches EPIDEMIC proportions

• The death toll of flu related deaths in California last week reached its toll for all of last year combined with a confirmed 45 deaths and a possible 50 more flu related deaths
• The flu shot is the best way to prevent getting sick
• Most people who dies of the flu have an underlying medical condition.

The centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the flu outbreak in the United States has reached epidemic proportions.

The flu has been reported in 40 US states and the influenza related death toll is increasing by the day. In California, the death toll for last week alone equals the death toll of all flu related deaths last year, reports SF Gate.

California confirmed 45 flu related deaths in people under 65 and another 50 deaths may be related.

North Texas has seen a total of 50 flu related deaths this year.

Dr.Paul Pepe at Parkland hospital told NBC Chicago that the flu is a 'very serious' illness and can be especially dangerous if someone who catches it has and underlying medical condition.

'It's a virus, so it basically causes inflammation and reaction throughout your whole body and many of your organs may not work so well and in really extreme cases you may have organ failure as a result,' he said.

'The real reason many people die is they have an underlying condition and they might not even know it. They may have an underlying heart problem and this is a major stressor on your system.'

The best way to avoid catching the flu is by maintaining proper hygiene and getting a flu shot.

'First of all the flu shots do work. They don't work for everybody and they don't work in every case,' Pepe said.

'Let's say it works 60 to 70 percent of the cases really well. I'd rather have a 60 to 70 percent chance of not getting the flu than a 100 percent chance. So that's straight-forward. You should get the flu shot.'

NBC reports that the Tarrant County Police Department reported on Friday that flu like illnesses increased 9.6 per cent in the first week of the year and 10 per cent in the second week.

Research from Google and the CDC found that Fort Worth and Dallas had the highest level of google searched about the flue this year.