CDC: Current Flu Activity Matches 2009 H1N1 Pandemic

Influenza activity is now as high as it was during the peak of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic and does not appear to be subsiding, according to Dr Anne Schuchat, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Our latest tracking data indicate that influenza activity is still on the rise overall,” she said on Friday.
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This past Friday, February 9, 2018, marked the end of week 11 of the 2017-2018 influenza season. Dr Schuchat noted that, for the past 5 influenza seasons, influenza illness remained elevated for 11 to 20 weeks. With this in mind, high influenza activity could still be reported for several more weeks, she said.

The amount of reported influenza- or pneumonia-associated deaths reached 1 in 10 deaths by the end of week 11 of this season. A total of 63 pediatric influenza deaths have been reported thus far.

To help reduce the spread of influenza virus, Dr Schuchat recommended receiving the influenza vaccine and also emphasized the importance of receiving the pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine.

“I know there are ongoing concerns about whether the flu vaccine is effective this year, and it’s true that flu vaccines often have lower effectiveness against H3N2 viruses,” she said. “However, some protection is better than none. Plus, the vaccine’s effectiveness against other flu viruses, like B and H1N1, is better.”

—Christina Vogt

Reference:

CDC update on widespread flu activity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. February 9, 2018. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/t0209-flu-update-activity.html. Accessed on February 11, 2018.