Infection rates are exponentially increasing, Khalife said, and the trend will only break after it peaks, which is an indeterminable date. He said the peak, which could happen within the next two weeks, depends on whether lower temperatures continue, which potentially could bring people into closer, more transmittable proximity.

When it does happen, Khalife said, infection rates could reach 55 to 60 cases per day.

Typically, seasonal flu targets people with weakened immune systems, including young children and elderly people, Michigan Department of Community Health public information officer Angela Minicuci said. But the prominent flu strain this year targets indiscriminately, already hospitalizing a number of healthy young adults, Minicuci added.

The day before Thanksgiving, horticulture freshman Michael McKernin fell ill with what he believes was seasonal flu, when he experienced chills and headaches.

“I thought it would bleed into finals, and I was upset about that,” McKernin said. “It was three days of real intense, awful feeling, and then it slowly got better. I was thankful to be sick during Thanksgiving rather than during finals.”

With the addition of the 2009 swine flu strain to the seasonal vaccine, Khalife said the vaccinations could stifle any similar pandemic outbreak, because the virus has yet to mutate.

McKernin hadn’t been vaccinated, but counteracted the illness by consuming plenty of fluids, fruits and vegetables.

“I didn’t even think of getting vaccinated,” he said. “I never really get sick, so I guess I just thought I wouldn’t. Next year I’ll get vaccinated so (seasonal flu) won’t affect my school and work.”