U.S. Faces Most Severe Flu Season in Years, Overwhelming Hospitals

This flu season is marked by record-high test positivity rates, low vaccination uptake, and increasing hospitalizations, with experts warning the peak may still be weeks away.

The 2024–2025 flu season has seen the highest test positivity rates in over a decade, with nearly 32% of flu tests nationwide returning positive results in early February.
The CDC estimates at least 24 million flu cases, 310,000 hospitalizations, and 15,000 deaths so far this season, including 57 pediatric fatalities.
Flu vaccination rates have dropped significantly, with only 44% of eligible individuals vaccinated, contributing to the severity of the outbreak.
Hospitals across the country are overwhelmed, with some reporting no available ICU beds and an increase in flu patients requiring intensive care or ventilators.
Experts attribute the severity to low vaccination rates, the circulation of multiple aggressive flu strains (H1N1 and H3N2), and a delayed seasonal peak.