US flu season off to early start in South and West
Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 13 Nov, 22:32 · Archive
The US flu season is intensifying earlier than usual, with seven states reporting high flu activity.
The US flu season is intensifying earlier than usual. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that seven states were reporting 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, signalling that flu season is underway.
The surge has begun in the nation's South and West, affecting California, Louisiana, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Washington. Louisiana is experiencing the worst activity so far, which is not unusual for that state early in the season. The CDC estimates that at least 2.6 million illnesses, 36,000 hospitalisations and 2,100 deaths this season are tied to flu infections.
Dr Fred Lopez, an infectious diseases specialist at LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, said the season is 'taking off and it's taking off in a direction that's only likely to increase in the next month or two'. He urged people to get vaccinated. Dr Anna Durbin of Johns Hopkins University noted that the flu hospitalisation rate in mid-October was the highest seen that early in autumn in more than 15 years, though the CDC said it remains unclear whether this season will ultimately be worse than others.
How it is being reported
- The US flu season is off to a very early start. It's targeting the South and West nowThe U.S. flu season is off to a very early start, and it’s quickly intensifying.News4Jax · 13 Nov, 22:03
- The US flu season is off to a very early start. It's targeting the South and West nowThe U.S. flu season is off to a very early start, and it’s quickly intensifying.Clickorlando · 13 Nov, 22:03
In this story: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · Louisiana · California · Oregon · South Carolina · Tennessee · Texas · Washington
This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log
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