Seasonal flu activity remains high in the US, but continued to decline in most areas last week, leading up to Christmas, CDC data shows
CDC estimates that, so far this season, as of last week, there have been at least 20 million illnesses, 210,000 hospitalizations and 13,000 deaths from flu. Among visits to a health care provider last week, 6.
1% were for respiratory illness. The cumulative hospitalization rate was more than four times higher than it has been at this point in the season in more than a decade. The number of hospital admissions for flu decreased nationally for the third week in a row. Nearly 19,000 patients were admitted to hospitals with influenza last week, down from a season-high of more than 26,000 new admissions in the week following Thanksgiving. Among children, 14 deaths were reported last week, for a total of 61 so far this season. “An annual flu vaccine is the best way to protect against flu. Vaccination helps prevent infection and can also prevent serious outcomes in people who get vaccinated but still get sick with flu,” CDC researchers wrote in their weekly flu report Friday. “CDC continues to recommend that everyone ages 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccine as long as flu activity continues.” Respiratory virus activity remains “high” or “very high” in most states, and public health experts warn that activity may increase again following New Year’s Eve. Flu surged after Thanksgiving, with more than a third of all flu hospitalizations and deaths at the time this season being reported in the first full week of data post-Thanksgiving, and cases also jumped nearly as much. As health officials brace for a possible surge in respiratory viruses in the coming weeks, it might not be just flu, Covid-19 and RSV that sicken people, said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “We’re focusing on those three, but there are others out there – the common cold and others,” Benjamin told CNN earlier this week. Overall, “we should expect more respiratory diseases,” he said. “The best way to reduce your risk is of course to get fully vaccinated for those that which we have a vaccine, so influenza and Covid, with the new bivalent version, are the two most important right now.” Benjamin added that it also remains important to wash your hands often, wear a mask during holiday travels and stay home when sick. CNN’s Deidre McPhillips contributed to this report.
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