Flu season is in full swing, and according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, no area has been hit harder than Western Pa. Health department officials said there are more than 3,000 confirmed flu cases since late September in Allegheny County alone – nearly four times than the next hardest hit county (Beaver: 772 cases).Next is Westmoreland County, with 692 cases. According to officials, laboratory-confirmed flu cases jumped 53% in the seven-county Pittsburgh area from Dec. 14 to Dec. 21. Flu cases increased from just over 3,600 to more than 5,500, the health department said.So far this year, there have been seven deaths in Pennsylvania connected to the flu, with all but one impacting a senior citizen. The state’s total of confirmed cases increased 61% in one week. The health department considers the flu “widespread” throughout the state, it’s highest level on the scale.