#17,138
The CDC - due to the Thanksgiving Holiday - belatedly published Friday's weekly FluView report this morning, and 5 more states have been added to the High or Very High category since week 45. Although the nation is ensnared in a viral soup of RSV, COVID, and influenza, ILI rates are the highest in week 46 that we've seen since the H1N1 pandemic of 2009.
We often seen a `bounce' in influenza following the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays, and it seems likely that we will see the same following this past week's heavy travel season. The bulk of influenza detections have been H3N2, which generally hits older people harder than does H1N1.
While the CDC estimates that 2,900 people have already been killed by influenza this year, they also report that 12 children have died from flu-related illness. This, sadly, is undoubtedly an undercount (see 2018's Why Flu Fatality Numbers Are So Hard To Determine).
The Key Points from today's update:
- Seasonal influenza activity is elevated across the country.
- Of influenza A viruses detected and subtyped this season, 78% have been influenza A(H3N2) and have been 22% influenza A(H1N1).
- Five influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported this week, for a total of 12 pediatric flu deaths reported so far this season.
- CDC estimates that, so far this season, there have been at least 6.2 million illnesses, 53,000 hospitalizations, and 2,900 deaths from flu.
- The cumulative hospitalization rate in the FluSurv-NET system is higher than the rate observed in week 46 during every previous season since 2010-2011.
- The majority of influenza viruses tested are in the same genetic subclade as and antigenically similar to the influenza viruses included in this season’s influenza vaccine.
- 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 recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older get a flu vaccine annually. Now is a good time to get vaccinated if you haven’t already.
- There are also prescription flu antiviral drugs that can be used to treat flu illness; those need to be started as early as possible.
It isn't too late to get a flu shot, and face masks and hand sanitizer can add prudent additional layers of protection.
