Emergency
Flu emergency warning signs
If you or someone you are caring for has any of these, get medical care right away. Call 911 for trouble breathing, a seizure, or someone you cannot wake.
In children
- Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish lips or face
- Ribs pulling in with each breath
- Chest pain
- Severe muscle pain (the child refuses to walk)
- Dehydration: no urine for 8 hours, dry mouth, no tears when crying
- Not alert or interacting when awake
- Seizures
- Fever above 104°F (40°C) not controlled by fever-reducing medicine
- In children younger than 12 weeks, any fever
- Fever or cough that improves but then returns or gets worse
- Worsening of chronic medical conditions
In adults
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
- Persistent dizziness, confusion, or inability to wake up
- Seizures
- Not urinating
- Severe muscle pain
- Severe weakness or unsteadiness
- Fever or cough that improves but then returns or gets worse
- Worsening of chronic medical conditions
CDC notes that these lists are not complete: get care for any symptom that is severe or worrying to you.[1] Telehealth and urgent care are not the right place for these symptoms; go to an emergency department.
Sources
- CDC. Signs and Symptoms of Flu (emergency warning signs), updated August 26, 2024.