CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Flu deaths are still climbing in the Carolinas as a new study finds the flu vaccine is one of the worst ever tracked.
The North Carolina Health Department announced Thursday that 26 people died from the virus last week bringing the season's total to 90 people.
South Carolina said 11 more people died from the flu last week, bringing the total to 54.
It comes as a new Centers for Disease Control study finds the vaccine is only 23 percent effective.
The best vaccines work up to 60 percent of the time.
Officials warned this year's shot wouldn't work as well because it doesn't include the specific virus making most people sick.
The CDC categorizes flu-like activity into 10 groups.
North Carolina is one of 22 states showing the most severe activity level.
South Carolina is in the second highest group.
WSOC
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
