Overview
- CDC data for the week ending Dec. 27 show 8.2% of outpatient visits were for flu-like illness, the highest rate since tracking began in 1997, with an estimated 120,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths this season.
- Laboratory-confirmed flu admissions jumped to 33,301 in the latest week reported, and 45 states reported high or very high activity, including 30 at the very high level.
- Roughly 90% of characterized H3N2 viruses are from the drifted subclade K, which differs from the vaccine strain, though experts note the shot still lowers the risk of severe disease and hospitalization.
- Hospitals are tightening precautions such as masking and visitor limits as capacity strains rise, and New York reported its highest weekly flu hospitalizations on record.
- Nine pediatric deaths have been reported nationally, pediatric emergency visits are elevated, and HHS announced changes to the childhood vaccine schedule even as the CDC continues to recommend flu shots for everyone 6 months and older.