(Radio Iowa) — The first confirmed cases of influenza are already being reported in Iowa, and it’s a reminder for people to use good hygiene habits as we head into the busy holiday week. Jeni Stiles, a disease prevention manager at Cerro Gordo County Public Health, says proper hand washing will help prevent the spread of the flu and other viruses.  “Make sure you’re washing your hands after you’ve been out in the community, when you get home,” Stiles says. “Wash your hands with soap and water before you’re going to eat, if you’re going to prepare food for anybody else. Just pick up that good hand hygiene habit throughout the season. That’s going to be your best way to protect yourself from spreading germs to other people and picking up germs.”

Stiles says if you have a holiday event planned and you’re not quite up to it, don’t force yourself. “If you are sick or not feeling well, don’t go, stay home. Keep the germs contained to one place,” Stiles says. “You can always meet up with family and friends later on, but we don’t want to go to a holiday event when we’re not feeling well and get everybody else sick.”

The latest figures from the Iowa Department of Public Health say influenza activity is -below- the typical numbers for this time of the year, but that activity has been increasing over the past few weeks.