Flu continues to spread at high levels, as doctors warn about severe symptoms

As many as 40 children and teenagers, including five babies younger than 5 months old, have died from the flu so far this season, as the virus continues to spread at high levels across most of the United States.

As many as 40 children and teenagers, including five babies younger than 5 months old, have died from the flu so far this season, as the virus continues to spread at high levels across most of the United States.

For the first time in months, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday a slight dip in how many people are getting the flu or being hospitalized from it, although experts warn that the virus isn't done yet.

The latest numbers are from the first week in January, and may simply reflect that schools were closed and that people tend to be less likely to see their doctor over the holidays.

"A lot of times after a one- or two-week decrease around the holidays, we see a pickup in activity again," said Alicia Budd, head of the CDC's domestic influenza surveillance team. That occurred during the 2019-2020 season, when the flu dropped around the same time, but then spiked two more times, in February and March.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/flu-cdc-virus-deaths-vaccine-rcna133094

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