A second wave of influenza is sweeping across the U.S., with doctors’ offices and urgent care clinics reporting an increase in cases. The latest flu data shows that seasonal influenza activity remains high and continues to rise nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As of now, the flu has claimed the lives of 13,000 people, including 57 children. These new cases are following a wave of previous flu infections, many of which have led to serious complications like bacterial pneumonia. Up to one-third of patients hospitalized with the flu develop pneumonia within weeks of their initial illness.
Flu Test Positivity Rises
Flu tests are showing a higher rate of positivity. Nearly 30% of flu tests returned positive during the week ending February 1, up from 25% the previous week. The CDC estimates that at least 24 million people have fallen ill with the flu so far this season.
In addition, cases of flu-like illnesses are higher than they have been in at least 28 years, according to CDC data. While experts are unsure why this is happening, flu seasons vary each year, making it difficult to predict their severity.
“I don’t think we know where the peaks are yet, which is a bit disconcerting,” said Dr. Cameron Wolfe, an infectious disease expert at Duke University Medical Center.
With the flu season still in full swing, experts predict that flu-related deaths could continue to rise. Dr. Peter Hotez of Baylor College of Medicine warns that the total death toll could reach 20,000 to 30,000, a significant number for any flu season.
Children’s Deaths and Hospital Strain
This flu season has already seen 57 pediatric deaths, with ten added to the national database in the past week. The previous year’s flu season was especially devastating, with 207 pediatric deaths recorded.
Dr. Todd Rice, a medicine professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, warns that the current surge in flu cases could lead to a “double hit” on hospitalizations. As flu peaks, hospitals may see a rise in bacterial pneumonia cases as well, placing further strain on medical resources.
In response, more hospital beds, nurses, and ventilators will be needed to manage respiratory illnesses caused by the flu and related complications.
Flu Strains in Circulation
Currently, most flu cases are caused by Flu A strains, particularly H1N1 and H3N2. These strains tend to cause more severe symptoms. The CDC also reported the season’s only case of an A(H1N2)v variant, which was detected in a child in Iowa. This strain has been seen before, with a case last year involving a child near a pig farm in Pennsylvania.
Although H1N2 typically spreads among pigs, experts were not surprised that the 2024 case occurred near a farm, though the child had no known contact with animals. The CDC assures that there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission related to this case.
Experts like Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins, emphasize that flu variants occasionally emerge, but the lack of animal contact in this case is puzzling.
As the flu season progresses, health officials continue to monitor the spread of the virus, advising the public to take precautions to prevent further illness.
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