Flu Cases Surge as CDC Urges Vaccinations
Rising Flu Cases and Hospitalizations
Influenza has resulted in 3,100 deaths and 81,000 hospitalizations among 7.5 million flu cases reported this respiratory disease season. The number of cases is expected to continue increasing as the United States enters winter, which marks the peak period for respiratory virus activity. This includes not only influenza but also other viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19, which typically see increased circulation during the fall and winter months.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that eight pediatric deaths have been recorded so far this flu season, with five occurring during the week ending on December 20. A pediatric death is defined as the death of an individual under the age of 18. Although flu cases saw a significant increase in December, the final statistics will not be available until Monday due to the New Year holiday, according to CDC officials.
Importance of Vaccination
The CDC recommends that everyone aged six months and older receive the flu vaccine. To date, approximately 130 million doses of the influenza vaccine have been distributed across the United States. Despite the availability of the vaccine, only 25% of adults and 17% of children had received their flu vaccinations by December 1.
Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist from Brown University, emphasized the importance of vaccination, particularly for young children and older adults. “If they haven’t gotten vaccinated against the flu, they should get vaccinated,” she said. “A lot of people are getting the flu at the same time, which is always tough. It could be a worse season because more people will need care than hospitals can easily deliver.”
New Flu Variant and Strain Prevalence
Complicating the situation is a new variant of the flu known as subclade k, which is spreading rapidly across the country, according to PBS. While the CDC does not yet have specific information on this variant, flu activity has been classified as high or very high in 32 states and jurisdictions for the week ending on December 20. This represents nearly double the number of states and jurisdictions that were rated as high or very high just a week earlier, as the annual flu season reaches its peak.
The most common flu strain diagnosed this year is Influenza A, accounting for 96.4% of all diagnosed cases since September 28. Influenza B made up the remaining 3.6%. Among the Influenza A strains, H3N2 was the most prevalent, representing 84.8% of cases, while H1N1, also known as swine flu, accounted for the remaining 15.2%.
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