Rising flu cases continue to surge among young children, especially in the Southeast and West

As families return to a post-holiday routine, flu season is on track to be rough in some states, especially the Southeast and parts of the West, doctors say.

As kids go back to school and families return to a post-holiday routine, flu season is on track to be a rough one in some states, especially in the Southeast and parts of the West, doctors say. And the peak may still be a long way off, according the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Thirty-three states are reporting high to very high case counts of influenza-like illnesses, and there have been about 4,500 flu-related deaths, including those of 20 children, since the 2023-24 season began in October.

Flu began to take off around Thanksgiving in Louisiana, which has one of the worst outbreaks in the country, said Dr. David Janz, the director of medical critical care services at University Medical Center New Orleans. About 20% of his critically ill patients are sick from influenza.

Flu cases are "increasing at a much faster rate that they had post-Thanksgiving," said Janz, who treats adults. "By some measures, here in Louisiana, this looks like it's probably going to be our worst influenza season since at least the 2009 H1N1 outbreak."

That was one of the most severe flu seasons in decades, with an estimated 12,000 deaths nationally. Back then, H1N1 was a new flu strain, and it hit children particularly hard. In subsequent years, H1N1 has circulated seasonally, including this year.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/flu-cases-rising-young-children-southeast-west-rcna132032

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