Flu Season Update

Across the US, flu activity is high. And it's expected to continue for weeks.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that flu activity has been high for the past eight weeks. Flu season typically starts to pick up in October and November.

This flu season, the flu is widespread in the majority of the US. Most of the reported flu cases are influenza B, according to the CDC.

Nine states were seeing moderate fu activity levels. These included Florida, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming.

Five states were seeing low activity levels. These included Hawaii, Michigan, Missouri, Montana and Nevada.

The remaining 34 states and Puerto Rico were seeing high flu activity levels. The only states that had minimal activity were Delaware and Idaho.

The CDC reported a total of 27 pediatric deaths tied to the flu so far this season.

The CDC's flu forecasting efforts are meant to predict flu activity to allow better planning. The CDC recently forecasted the following:

• Flu activity will likely stay elevated through the middle of January.
• Activity was to occur between December and February. This included a 30 percent chance of a peak in January and a 25 percent chance of a peak in February.

Ask your health care provider any questions you have about the flu.

Written by Digital Pharmacist Staff