Flu is rising nationwide, CDC reports, with spikes in ER visits
The CDC released some new flu data to the public on Friday, despite the Trump administration’s halt of nearly all scientific communication coming from federal health agencies.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released some new flu data to the public on Friday, despite the Trump administration’s halt of nearly all scientific communication coming from federal health agencies.
The information was not reported as it usually is by the CDC, in a weekly breakdown of flu activity called FluView, but was added to a section that focuses on respiratory illnesses in general.
Trends show flu activity remains high and is rising in many areas of the country, with increases in flu found in wastewater samples, the number of positive flu tests and flu-related visits to the emergency room.
As of the week ending on Jan. 18, the percentage of tests that came back positive for the flu was 25%, up from 19% the week before.
Emergency departments are also seeing an increasing number of people sick with flu, especially babies, older children and teens. Of overall visits to the ER, 5.2% were for the flu and were close to reaching the surge hospitals saw before the winter holidays.
Rating: 5