United States: Flu season arrived with the holidays for many Americans, with 40 states recording high or very high levels of illness, according to the latest data from the government health.
More about the news
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Carrie Reed stated, “A lot of flu out there,” ksl.com reported.
Several culprits out there trigger fever, cough, sore throat, and other flu-related effects.
Another one is the respiratory syncytial virus, which is responsible for symptoms resembling a cold but can be fatal to many newborns and the elderly.
According to the most current data provided by hospitals, CDC, and other statistics, the flu virus has surpassed other germs, Reed said.
Several subtypes of the flu are circulating, and no single strain is more common than the others, she said.
What more are the experts stating?
According to Dr. Jason Newland, an infectious diseases specialist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, Pediatric hospitals have been occupied since November with respect to respiratory syncytial virus, but “influenza has now joined the party.”
“Now we’re really starting to roll,” and “Our hospitals are busy,” he added.
Flu activity can be described by the number of physician visits comprised of patients with flu-like symptoms. That level in a recent week was about the same as the apex of the last winter flu season — which is seasonal as well.
On this, Reed also made an important point about the timing of people going to the doctor: people try to postpone their medical appointments if possible during the holidays, so the numbers gathered in late December may very well be a snapshot of people who got an acute illness.
In the South, Southwest, and western parts of the United States, flu activity was much higher last week, ksl.com reported.
The states that submitted less suffering were chiefly in the northern Great Plane and New England states.
Through this season, the CDC said, approximately 5.3 million people have gotten the flu, 63,000 have been hospitalized, and 2,700 people have died, including at least 11 children.
However, it is hard to say if this year’s winter respiratory virus season will be any worse than others.
Thus, so far, it appears to be quite normal, at least for children, Newland said. This fall and winter, Commonzek said, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to recommend yearly flu vaccination for anyone 6 months and older.