14 states with high virus levels
Respiratory virus season is in full gear, with flu admissions rising quickly in recent weeks, according to the latest national data from the CDC.
Fourteen states reported high levels of flu-like illness during the week ending Dec. 13. Of those, five states — Colorado, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island — reported “very high” levels. New York City, which HHS reports as its own region, also reported “very high” levels.
Nine states — Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina and South Carolina — saw “high” levels. The District of Columbia also experienced high levels.
The CDC’s respiratory illness activity map reflects outpatient visits among patients who present with a fever plus a cough or sore throat, meaning it captures visits for flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus. Overall, about 4.1% of outpatient visits were due to respiratory illness for the week ending Dec. 13, above the national baseline of 3.1%.
Three more respiratory virus updates:
1. Nearly 9,950 patients with laboratory-confirmed flu were admitted to hospitals for the week ending Dec. 13, up 112% from 4,690 who were admitted two weeks earlier.
Overall, the CDC estimates at least 4.6 million flu cases, 49,000 hospitalizations and 1,900 deaths so far this season.
2. Emergency department visits for flu are also on the rise. Flu accounted for nearly 2% of ED visits for the week ending Dec. 13. Children are especially affected, with flu responsible for 7% of ED visits among children and infants up to age 4, and 9.2% among those ages 5 to 17.
3. Hospitals and health systems in New York in Texas have been especially hard hit amid an early and intense flu surge. In early December, New York saw a 75% jump in flu-related admissions in one week, according to data from the state’s health department. During a Dec. 18 press conference, leaders at New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health said a rise in RSV, COVID-19 and, in particular, flu, are straining its EDs, urgent cares and primary care practices.
A mutated version of H3N2, known as “subclade K” is believed to be driving the current uptick in flu activity.
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