Flu activity is moderate to very high in many areas of the US, with cases rising in nine states. Last week eight US regions had moderate flu activity, and 24 regions reported high or very high levels. New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania and other Mid-Atlantic states reported low levels of influenza-like-illness, while wide swaths of the South, Southwest, West Coast and Mountain West observed high to very high levels.
The CDC confirmed six new pediatric deaths from flu, raising the total to 66 fatalities in children this flu season. Among the children who died who were old enough to the get the flu shot, 90% of them did not receive the vaccine. Young children – along with older adults and people with weakened immune systems – are especially vulnerable to severe illness and death from the virus.
So far this season, the US has had 23 million illnesses, 300,000 hospitalizations, and 19,000 deaths from flu.
Full Story: The Independent, CIDRAP
