BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Bakersfield hospital emergency rooms are asking people who are suffering from minor illnesses to avoid coming in for medical treatment over the next few days, according to the Kern County Medical Services Department.

Hospital emergency rooms are overcrowded with people suffering from a range of various serious illnesses, health officials said. They also cited limited emergency medical resources, and that staff can become overburdened with minor illnesses, making it much harder for those with serious illnesses to get treatment.

Health officials recommended that those experiencing flu-like symptoms try to treat some of the minor symptoms themselves. They said treatments to try first include plenty of rest, drinking lots of fluids and taking over-the-counter medicines to reduce fever.

If symptoms persist or get worse, then seek medical help.