Flu rates are rising across the US, except for these 5 states

Happy school year!

After a slow start, flu season is gaining steam in the US. Emergency room visits for the flu were “very high” last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

About eight out of every 100,000 people hospitalized were admitted for the flu — about double the rate for COVID-19, according to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. The elderly were the most affected.

Influenza is at “high” or “very high” levels in 40 states, with the South and Pacific Northwest hardest hit. In Oregon, for example, 8.4% of emergency room visits in late December involved the flu, surpassing last winter’s peak.

“You can see that in December 2022, we also had a very large increase in flu cases, but this year has been significantly higher than last year,” said Sara Hottman, a spokeswoman for University Health and Science Hospital. in Oregon, per CBS News. week.

In addition to Oregon, other states that are seeing extreme flu activity include Idaho, New Mexico, Louisiana, Alabama and Tennessee.

New York is at a “high” level for the flu, and NYC is outperforming other parts of the state.

There is good news for people in parts of the Northeast and Midwest.

“Low” flu levels were detected in South Dakota, Delaware and West Virginia, and the lowest levels were recorded in Montana and Vermont.

Flu season usually runs from October to April or May. Flu viruses last longer in cold, dry air and can spread more easily to people indoors.

Symptoms include fever, chills, sore throat, dry cough, headache, muscle aches, runny or stuffy nose, and fatigue.

The CDC estimates there have been at least 5.3 million illnesses, 63,000 hospitalizations and 2,700 deaths (including 11 children) from the flu this season, as of Dec. 28.

The American Heart Association recommends getting a flu shot if you’re over 6 months old, staying away from sick people, avoiding touching your face, washing your hands often, and seeing a doctor if you think you have the flu so you can start treatment immediately. .

The flu isn’t the only respiratory illness sweeping the US this winter. The CDC reports that COVID-19 activity is increasing in most regions, while respiratory syncytial virus is “very high” in many areas, especially among young children.

However, experts told CBS News that a “triple epidemic” of influenza, COVID-19 and RSV is unlikely to occur this year and overwhelm hospitals because levels of COVID-19 are only beginning to rise in some areas.

It’s possible to get two of these viruses at the same time – known as co-infection – but virologists say respiratory viruses and COVID-19 “don’t go very well together”.

Viral interference describes when one virus blocks or limits the infection of another virus.