Flu exercise in the US has declined for the second week and a row, suggesting ranges have peaked, although hospitalizations and different markers stay excessive and deaths in youngsters are nearing 100, the US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) stated as we speak in its newest weekly replace.
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Check positivity at medical labs is trending downward however continues to be excessive, at 24.5%. Outpatient visits for flulike sickness additionally declined however, at 5.8%, are nonetheless nicely above the nationwide baseline for the thirteenth straight week. States nonetheless within the very excessive vary embody Michigan, Ohio, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.
The cumulative hospitalization fee is at its highest degree for the reason that 2010-11 flu season.
The CDC estimates that 21,000 individuals have died from flu this season, and the tempo of flu deaths within the newest reporting week outpaced these for COVID-19.
Twelve extra pediatric flu deaths have been reported, placing the season’s whole at 98. All have been linked to influenza A. Of 11 subtyped strains, 8 have been the 2009 H1N1 virus, 2 have been H3N2, and 1 concerned a coinfection with each strains.
COVID continues to drop amid shifting variant panorama
For COVID, emergency division (ED) visits are low with a seamless decline, and take a look at positivity stays secure, at 4.3%, the CDC stated. Wastewater ranges are on the reasonable vary, and although detections are declining for all areas, they’re highest within the Midwest, adopted by the South.
In its newest variant monitoring replace, the CDC stated that, over the previous 2 weeks the LP.8.1 Omicron subvariant, at 42% of detections, has now edged above the XEC subvariant, which now makes up 31% of detections. LP.8.1 is a descendant of KP.1.1.3, which is a part of the JN.1 lineage.
