The flu has yet to flee.

Influenza cases continue rising in Allegheny County and are nearing a record in confirmed cases, while far exceeding the county record for suspected cases.

The Allegheny County Health Department said flu activity in the past two weeks continued its climb with 149 new cases confirmed via positive laboratory cultures. Confirmed cases are the only ones that meet the state Department of Health definition for influenza.

The previous two-week period had 105 confirmed cases, so the case numbers continue rising. Confirmed cases in the county for the season now total 337, which is 58 below the record number of 395 during the 2004-05 season.

But those numbers fall short of telling the whole story.

In the past two weeks, doctors also reported 313 "suspected" cases that they diagnosed with the rapid antigen tests administered in their offices.

That brings the total of suspected cases this season to 1,021, which far exceeds last year's total of 139 cases and tops the record of 545 suspected cases in 2004-05.

Health Department officials note that confirmed and suspected cases represent only a fraction of the total number of flu cases occurring countywide.

The department monitors suspected cases as another indicator of possible flu activity.

"We believe we're reaching the peak of the season, but the next two weeks will tell the tale," said county Health Department spokesman Dave Zazac. "Right now the number is still rising."

Even after the county reaches the season's peak, flu cases could continue through April, he said.

Health officials blame the large outbreak and its persistence on this year's flu vaccine, which did not cover two of the predominant strains -- Type A Yamagata and Type B Brisbane.

Mr. Zazac said it's generally thought that this year's flu vaccine has only been 40 percent effective against those strains.

Flu symptoms include sudden and rapid onset of fever, chills, headache, cough, sore throat and extreme fatigue.