Flu continues to spread across the U.S., infecting millions, CDC reports - NBC News

The floodgates person opened connected flu, with millions of radical crossed the U.S. reporting unwellness and astir 3,000 deaths from influenza since the opening of October, according to the latest statistic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

With the commencement of the vacation play and ample household gatherings, cases are expected to support rising.

“We are apt to spot an summation successful the upcoming weeks,” Lynnette Brammer, an epidemiologist and squad pb of CDC’s home influenza surveillance team, told NBC News.

So acold this season, an estimated 6.2 cardinal flu illnesses person been logged, according to the latest CDC data.

Twelve of the influenza deaths occurred successful children.

Of the samples reported to the CDC this season, astir 76% are the H3N2 strain of influenza A. The remainder are H1N1. Both versions of the flu tin effect successful terrible illness.

However, astir flu patients sick capable to extremity up successful the intensive attraction portion astatine Vanderbilt University Medical Center successful Nashville person tested affirmative for H1N1, said Dr. Todd Rice, manager of VUMC's aesculapian intensive attraction unit.

"People don't person a bully appreciation for however terrible flu tin be," said Brammer.

Flu barreled successful unusually early this year, along with Covid and respiratory syncytial microorganism (RSV), which has inundated infirmary systems. Several years of constricted viral enactment person resulted successful fewer radical with immune systems susceptible of warring disconnected the astir virulent infectious diseases.

“We are dealing with 3 precise contagious respiratory viruses,” said Dr. Ashish Jha, coordinator for the White House Covid-19 Task Force. “Our anticipation is we are apt to spot an summation successful the upcoming weeks," peculiarly with influenza and Covid.

The surge successful RSV, however, whitethorn person peaked, Jha said. "Nationally, the numbers bash look to beryllium turning down," Jha said. "We'll privation to spot implicit the adjacent mates of weeks wherever that goes. But the preliminary grounds close present is beauteous hopeful."

Why is this flu play truthful rough?

Typical flu seasons ramp up successful December, peaking successful January oregon February, said Dr. Julie Morita, enforcement vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

With the aboriginal commencement to the flu play this year, galore radical were infected earlier they had a accidental to get vaccinated, making it easier for the microorganism to spread.

“There was a bigger excavation of radical who were unvaccinated than determination would person been successful mean seasons,” said Morita, who is besides a erstwhile nationalist wellness commissioner for Chicago. "That could beryllium contributing to wherefore we’re seeing specified precocious rates of illness close now.”

As of Nov. 28, "influenza-like illness," oregon ILI, enactment — which includes the flu — was highest crossed the Southeast, arsenic good arsenic successful New York City and Washington, D.C.CDC

The latest CDC information connected flu enactment shows dispersed “very high” crossed overmuch of the nation, particularly successful Arkansas, California, Colorado, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, arsenic good arsenic New York City and Washington, D.C.

There is nary grounds that dispersed of the flu volition pain retired anytime soon.

“It’s a beauteous harmless stake that flu enactment is going to proceed connected for respective much weeks oregon months,” said Brammer.

Intensive attraction units are already seeing a surge successful the sickest patients.

“Three weeks ago, we were not seeing overmuch flu successful our ICU,” Rice said. “Then the floodgates opened.”

Now, 30% to 40% of Rice’s patients successful request of the astir intensive attraction person the flu.

He blames, successful part, the aboriginal accomplishment of influenza.

“It resulted successful much radical astatine hazard due to the fact that determination were less radical vaccinated.”

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