Flu Cases Growing Fast

In its latest weekly report of nationwide flu activity, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes a continued increase in the number of cases. The CDC notes the observed flu has appeared in all 50 states and that 10 states are experiencing “widespread” flu activity: Alabama, Alaska, California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. “Widespread” means that at least half the regions in each of these states reported either influenza outbreaks or increases in the number of flu-like illnesses during that week. The week prior, only six states had widespread activity. Meanwhile, fourteen states – Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington – are experiencing “regional” flu activity, which is when at least two but less than half the regions have reported upticks in the flu. There are concerns that this year’s flu season will be bad for the U.S. and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere. That’s because what happens with the Southern Hemisphere’s flu season earlier in the year tends to be the prequel for what will subsequently happen in the Northern Hemisphere. The Southern Hemisphere had a particularly bad flu season earlier this year. For example, a May 2019 ABC News report called the flu season in Australia at the time the worst since 2009. The season was bad not only in terms of an increased number of cases but also an increased number of deaths from the flu. Read the reports and articles at CDC, CNN, and Forbes.