The end is near for the flu season, although some areas of the country continue to hang onto moderate flu levels.

Clinical laboratories reported 8.2% positivity for influenza, and 2.4% of outpatient visits were for respiratory illness. The influenza‑attributed mortality was 0.3% of all deaths. The CDC reported 12 additional pediatric deaths this week, for a season total of 139.

Our flu surveillance product will continue to focus on the severity of the flu rather than the geographic spread. This information is reported to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by each state’s health department, ranging on a scale from “minimal” to “very high” levels of activity.

States and territories reporting flu include the following activity and trends:

No states reported Very High or High flu activity.

Moderate (4 states): Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Washington.

• Washington saw their flu activity level increase from Low to Moderate.
• Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York all remained at Moderate flu levels this week, the same as last week.

Low (12 states, and New York City): Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island and South Carolina.

• Connecticut, Maine, Minnesota, New York City, Rhode Island and South Carolina remained at a Low flu activity level from last week to this week.
• Colorado, Idaho, New Jersey, Ohio and Oregon decreased from Moderate to Low levels of flu activity.
• New Mexico dropped two spots from High to Low between last week and this week.

Minimal (35 states, the Northern Marianas, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands): Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming,

• Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, the Northern Mariana Islands, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming all had minimal flu activity last week and did again this week.
• Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia witnessed a drop in flu activity over the last week, moving from Low to Minimal.

Flu Facts:
         The CDC recommends that everyone older than six months get the seasonal flu vaccine, either via an injection or nasal spray. Consult with your doctor or pharmacist to learn about flu vaccine side effects, precautions, and vaccine options—several multi-strain variations are available this year.
            
         Due to certain health restrictions, not everyone is eligible to receive the flu shot. If you cannot get vaccinated, there are other ways to minimize your risk of contracting and spreading the flu:

• Avoid close contact with those who are sick.
• If you are sick, avoid exposing others by staying home from work or school.
• Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.
• Wash your hands frequently.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.

Lastly, getting a flu shot is not a guarantee that you won’t catch the flu, but it can help reduce the risk and severity of symptoms. The CDC urges doctors to prescribe one or a combination of the three available prescription antiviral drugs to patients with flu-like symptoms. If given early enough, antivirals can lessen the intensity and duration of influenza symptoms.
            
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Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention