Spring's about a month away, but that doesn't mean anyone is clear from contracting the flu.

A new report shows there are now nearly 1,000 confirmed cases of the flu in the Hudson Valley, and that number is on the rise.

Dr. Rebekka Levis is a pediatrician at Boston Children's Health Physicians in Hawthorne. She says she's seeing a rise in patients with flu-like symptoms this year.

Westchester County has a recorded 563 flu cases, the highest number in the region, followed by Rockland County with 183 and Orange County with 85 cases. Sullivan County has 13 cases, Dutchess County has 67, Putnam has 50 and Ulster has 16 reported cases.

Doctors say it is not too late to get a flu shot to help protect against the flu strains that are currently circulating and the ones that could circulate later on in the season.

The CDC says while the reported cases of flu are rising, the number of hospitalizations estimated so far this season is lower than previous end-of-season totals.

"Hopefully, more people are getting the flu shot, which also helps prevent against those serious complications from the flu and people needing hospitalizations as well," says Levis.

Doctors suggest people with flu symptoms get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids and contact a doctor if it doesn't subside after several days.