CDC declares ‘high severity’ of flu cases for all ages

Feb. 15 (UPI) -- All age groups in the United States are experiencing a "high severity" of influenza cases among all age groups for the first time since the 2017-18 flu season

by Mike Heuer

Feb. 15 (UPI) -- All age groups in the United States are experiencing a "high severity" of influenza cases among all age groups for the first time since the 2017-18 flu season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Influenza deaths are outpacing COVID-19 deaths and accounted for 2.6% of all fatalities in the United States during the past two weeks, the University of Minnesota reported Friday.

The death rate from influenza cases is greater than the 1.5% of deaths attributed to COVID-19 over the past two weeks.

Positive test results for influenza reached 31.6% during the week ending Feb. 8 with the H1N1 and H3N2 strains being the two most common viruses causing people to become ill with influenza, the CDC reported.

About 97% of positive tests were caused by the H1N1 and H3N2 strains, which accounted for 55.4% and 44.6%, respectively, according to the CDC.

The highest rates of positive tests for influenza were recorded in the Midwestern states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Eleven influenza-associated deaths were reported last week, which raised the season total to 68 deaths.

Many of those who are hospitalized after testing positive for the flu are children who have serious complications.

Pediatricians are reporting brain swelling and other complications in children that could cause tissue death while adults are diagnosed with "unexpected levels of pneumonia caused by flesh-eating superbug bacteria," CNN Health reported.

The "superbug bacteria" is the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which resists most antibiotics, causes lung scarring and could cause death.

"We're seeing a lot of MRSA pneumonia and really bad MRSA pneumonia after influenza ... where you're getting a lot of destruction of the lung tissue," infectious disease specialist Dr. John Lunch told CNN Health.

While influenza rates are high, positive tests for COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus are declining, the CDC reported.

The CDC hasn't collected total COVID cases since May 2023 and instead relies on emergency department visits, deaths and wastewater information to determine severity.

RSV causes lung and respiratory tract infections that commonly affect virtually all children by the time they reach age 2, according to the Mayo Clinic.

When older children and adults experience RSV, the symptoms are similar to the common cold and easy to treat at home with over-the-counter medications.

Emergency room visits for COVID-19 are low and declining while visits due to RSV are moderate and declining, according to the CDC.

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