Hermes Vector

Health

U.S. flu season starts early, hits South and West

The CDC reports seven states with high flu activity, up from two the prior week, with more than 3% of doctor visits for flu-like illness.

By Hermes Vector

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Illustration for: U.S. flu season starts early, hits South and West

In brief

  • The CDC reported seven states with high flu activity last week, up from two the week before.
  • More than 3% of doctors’ office visits last week were for flu-like illness.
  • The CDC estimates at least 2.6 million illnesses, 36,000 hospitalizations, and 2,100 deaths tied to flu this season.
  • High flu activity states include California, Louisiana, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.

U.S. flu season starts early, hits South and West

The U.S. flu season is off to a very early start and is quickly intensifying, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC data and affected states

The CDC reported that seven states were reporting high flu activity last week, up from two states the week before. More than 3% of doctors’ office visits last week were for flu-like illness.

The states seeing high flu activity include California, Louisiana, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Washington, according to the CDC. The surge began in the nation’s South and West.

Estimated impact

The CDC estimates that at least 2.6 million illnesses, 36,000 hospitalizations, and 2,100 deaths so far this season are tied to flu infections.

The flu hospitalization rate in mid-October was the highest seen that early in an autumn in more than 15 years, noted Dr. Anna Durbin of Johns Hopkins University, during a recent media briefing.

Expert guidance

Flu season “is taking off and it's taking off in a direction that's only likely to increase in the next month or two,” said Dr. Fred Lopez, an infectious diseases specialist at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans.

“If you haven't been vaccinated, you should get vaccinated now,” he added.

Dr. Nicole Iovine, a University of Florida-affiliated infectious disease specialist, said in an emailed statement: “As we prepare to gather with family and friends over the upcoming holidays, getting vaccinated is especially important.”

People should not get vaccinated if they are currently suffering significant symptoms, but people should get a flu shot even if they already had an infection this fall, because the vaccine protects against three kinds of flu virus, Lopez said.

Vaccine outlook

Most of the illnesses so far are caused by a version of an A H1N1 flu bug with mutations that have the potential to more easily slip through the immune system's defenses. However, data so far suggests the current vaccine “can recognize” the circulating virus and work against it, said Andrew Pekosz, a Johns Hopkins University immunology expert, during a recent media briefing.

Health officials won't know for months exactly how effective this year's vaccine is. But “right now there is no cause for concern,” he said.

Why it matters

The early-season flu activity is higher than what's usually seen at this point of the year, though it's not clear that will mean this season will be worse than others, according to CDC's update. Doctors expect accelerated spread of flu and other respiratory viruses as people travel and gather later this month for Thanksgiving.

Sources

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.

Questions readers ask

Which states are currently reporting high flu activity?
The states seeing high flu activity include California, Louisiana, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.
What is the estimated impact of the flu season so far?
The CDC estimates that at least 2.6 million illnesses, 36,000 hospitalizations, and 2,100 deaths so far this season are tied to flu infections.
How effective is the current flu vaccine against the circulating virus?
Data suggests the current vaccine can recognize the circulating virus and work against it, although health officials won't know for months exactly how effective this year's vaccine is.

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