Flu Activity Spiking Across U.S., CDC Reports
Influenza activity across the U.S. is spiking, signaling the beginning of the flu season. CIDRAP has the news.
Seventeen jurisdictions are reporting “high or very high influenza-like illness (ILI) and other key indicators [are] rising markedly.” That marks an additional five jurisdictions reporting high or very high ILI cases from the previous week. The percentage of respiratory viruses that tested positive for flu also rose from around 8% to nearly 15%.
911 of 927 influenza viruses reported by public health labs were influenza A. Of the 706 influenza A viruses that were subtyped, “10.1% were the H1N1 strain, and 89.9% were H3N2.” 89.8% of the 216 H3N2 viruses sent for additional genetic characterization belonged to subclade K, which is “predominating in multiple countries and raising concerns about a possible mismatch with the seasonal flu vaccine.”
Two flu-related pediatric deaths were reported; both of them were tied to H3 strains. The CDC estimates that, so far, there have been “at least 4.6 million illnesses, 49,000 hospitalizations, and 1,900 deaths from flu so far this season.”
The CDC also reported that RSV activity is increasing, but remains low. COVID-19 cases are also low nationally but “increasing,” wish wastewater testing showing “very high…levels in Indiana and high levels in Connecticut, Nebraska, and Vermont.”
