The flu epidemic is giving new meaning to Super Bowl Fever.

Authorities fear U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, the site of the 2018 Super Bowl, could become a giant Petri dish for the flu virus. 

As a result, fans flying to Minneapolis are being asked to get vaccinated before they arrive, and not to come if they are sick.  

A million visitors are expected as the New England Patriots battle the Philadelphia Eagles, and authorities are doing what they can to sanitize the games and gear used at The NFL Experience pop-up park. 

In past years, cities that send teams to the Super Bowl suffer an 18 percent spike in flu deaths among people over 65, according to the American Journal of Health Economics. 

The flu epidemic is hitting home for ABC's Chief Health and Medical Editor Dr. Jennifer Ashton. She revealed on Good Morning America Monday that her daughter is suffering from the flu and is in isolation. 

But her daughter's condition worsened and she was rushed to an emergency room Sunday.

Dr. Ashton told Inside Edition that her daughter was extremely dehydrated and could not take anything by mouth. In addition, her temperature spiked and she was taken to the hospital as a result. 

RELATED STORIES

Did Nicole Kidman Put Others at Risk by Showing Up to SAG Awards While Battling the Flu?

Woman, 27, Dies of the Flu After Boyfriend Finds Her Unconscious in Bathroom

Bride-to-Be Dies of the Flu as the Virus Continues to Spread Across the U.S.