Nov. 14, 2023 – In what seems like a return to a typical pre-pandemic flu season, circumstances nationwide proceed to slowly climb this fall, nationwide infectious illness skilled and pharmacy information reveals.
Flu continues to be nothing to mess with, and officers are selling the flu exercise outcomes as a reminder for individuals to get their flu photographs as quickly as potential – earlier than an anticipated peak early subsequent 12 months.
Seasonal influenza exercise is rising in most components of the nation, primarily within the South Central, Southeast, and West Coast areas, the CDC mentioned in up to date numbers launched Monday. Within the prior week, the variety of lab assessments constructive for the flu was up 3%, and the variety of outpatient visits for respiratory sickness was up 2.9%.
Numbers from a nationwide pharmacy chain reveals the identical general gradual improve in circumstances and the best flu exercise throughout the southern United States. As of Nov. 4, 2023, Puerto Rico, Mississippi, and Louisiana had probably the most flu exercise, the 2023-2024 Walgreens Flu Index reveals.
“Right now, it is extremely low exercise. There’s not a lot of a flu season but,” mentioned Pedro Piedra, MD, a professor of molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor Faculty of Medication in Houston.
The key virus circulating now’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and never influenza. “However that does not imply that the flu just isn’t going to come back. Viruses are available waves,” Piedra mentioned. “Till then, that is the very best time to be vaccinated and to be getting ready for the flu season.”
The variety of weekly flu hospital admissions can also be rising, with 1,962 individuals hospitalized prior to now week of CDC surveillance. Admissions are up barely, in comparison with the week earlier than, with seniors and youngsters youthful than 4 accounting for probably the most circumstances. The company reviews that one youngster has died from the flu up to now this season.
“Whereas it’s early days and flu season is at all times unpredictable, our historic information recommend this might be a return to a typical two-wave flu season, the place exercise begins to peak in December and reaches its highest level in February,” Kevin Ban, MD, Walgreens’ chief medical officer, mentioned in an announcement.
Index flu exercise relies on modifications within the variety of antiviral medicines used to deal with influenza each week throughout Walgreens and Duane Reade drugstore areas within the U.S. Information is offered by state and area as nicely.
“The index just isn’t supposed for instance flu severity, however moderately, primarily based on this technique, to indicate which populations are experiencing the best incidence of influenza inside america and Puerto Rico every week,” an organization launch mentioned.
Piedra cautioned that different infections may trigger individuals to buy antiviral medicines. Laboratory-confirmed flu an infection information, like numbers offered by the CDC, can be extra exact, he mentioned.
