In Worst Flu Season In Nearly A Decade, The Whole Country Has Been Hit At Once
Usually different parts "light up," but this year only Hawaii has been spared. In another unusual twist, the virus has affected Baby Boomers in an unusually high number. Officials predict it will start to wane soon, though, and there's evidence it's easing up in California.
San Jose Mercury News:
California Flu Deaths Jump From 74 To 97
The number of Californians younger than 65 who have died from the flu during this flu season jumped again in the latest reporting period and now totals 97, according to figures released Friday by state public health officials. The latest number represents a spike of 23 in addition to the 74 deaths announced by the state last week — in the same age group — and an increase of four in the Greater Bay Area. (Seipel, 1/26)
The New York Times:
This Flu Season Is The Worst In Nearly A Decade
This year’s flu season is now more intense than any since the 2009 swine flu pandemic and still getting worse, federal health officials said on Friday. Nationally, the number of people falling ill with flu is increasing. More worrying, the hospitalization rate — a predictor of the death rate — has just jumped. It is now on track to equal or surpass that of the 2014-2015 flu season. In that year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, 34 million Americans got the flu, 710,000 were hospitalized and about 56,000 died. (McNeil, 1/26)
The Associated Press:
Flu Widespread Across US For Third Straight Week
Sick with the flu? You’ve got a lot of company. The flu blanketed the U.S. again last week for the third straight week. Only Hawaii has been spared. The government doesn’t track every flu case but comes up with estimates. One measure is how many people seek medical care.Last week, 1 in 15 doctor visits were for symptoms of the flu. That’s the highest level since the swine flu pandemic in 2009. (Stobbe, 1/26)
The Washington Post:
This Flu Season Is On Track To Be The Worst In Nearly A Decade
The toll on children has been especially severe. CDC officials said the pediatric death count is likely to approach, if not exceed, the 148 deaths reported during the especially severe flu season of 2014 and 2015. That season ended with 56,000 flu-related deaths, 710,000 people hospitalized and 16 million who sought care from a clinician or hospital. This year’s intensity has been driven by a particularly nasty strain of the virus known as H3N2. Another strain has also begun showing up, hitting baby boomers especially hard, CDC officials said Friday, although experts have not figured out exactly why. (Sun and Wan, 1/26)
The Hill:
CDC: This Flu Season Worst Since 2009 Swine Flu Pandemic
What's more, flu activity has stayed at the same level nationwide for about three weeks, said Dr. Dan Jernigan, the director of the CDC’s Influenza Division. That sets it apart from many flu seasons, in which activity wanes in certain parts of the U.S.
"We often see different parts of the country 'light up' at different times, but for the past 3 weeks, the entire country has been experiencing lots of flu, all at the same time," he said. (Greenwood, 1/27)