Some states hit harder by flu this year 40 states reported widespread flu activity during the second week of January H1N1 is the predominant virus circulating, which is a deadlier strain It's not too late to take steps to protect yourself from getting the flu, says Dr. Susan Rehm (CNN) -- Five more states reported widespread flu activity during the second week of January, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bringing the total to 40 states. Only 10 states are not yet reporting widespread activity: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Vermont. However, the number of states experiencing a high proportion of outpatient visits to health care providers for flulike illnesses is 14 -- Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia -- down from 20 in the previous week. Ten children died from complications of the flu last week, bringing the pediatric death total for the season to 20. The CDC does not have data on the number of adult flu deaths. Experts estimate the number of flu-related deaths range from as low as 3,000 to as high as 49,000 people each year. But it's way too early to know if flu has peaked yet this year. "As typical of a flu season, some areas are being harder hit than other areas," said CDC spokesman Tom Skinner. H5N1 kills first person in North America One of those areas is California. Dr. Gil Chavez, deputy director for California's Center for Infectious Diseases, said 45 people under the age of 65 have died during the 2013-2014 flu season, which began in September. This includes two deaths in children. "An additional 50 deaths are currently being investigated and are likely to be confirmed next week," Chavez said. He said that a year ago, only five deaths had been reported at this time; there were only 106 flu deaths during the entire 2012-2013 flu season. "H1N1 is the predominant virus circulating, and we do know when H1N1 predominates, there appears to be more fatalities," Chavez said. We seem to have a predominance of a more deadly strain. Since then, "it's established itself very nicely in the human population," Jhung said. Adult flu deaths are not required to be reported to the CDC, but the government agency must be notified of any flu deaths in children. However, after H1N1 first surfaced, California health officials determined this was not enough. Chavez said the lesson learned then was that "we needed a better way to determine the impact [of flu] on the community. So we in California made the decision to make deaths due to influenza in individuals under 65 mandatory to report. What consumers need to know is that it's not too late to take steps to protect yourself from getting the flu, said Dr. Susan Rehm, medical director for the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. "People who are young and healthy should be aware that they may get the flu and it could be serious," Rehm said. One of the reasons people often say they don't get the flu vaccine is because they don't get sick. That excuse doesn't hold up, she said. In addition to getting the vaccine, which can prevent flu -- or at least lessen symptoms, washing your hands frequently and staying home when you're sick can help you get through the flu season. Doctors recommend using antivirals within the first two days of experiencing any flulike symptoms. CNN's Ashley Hayes contributed to this story.