Flu cases spiking this holiday season, CDC data shows

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows flu cases continuing to spike astir the country, with immoderate areas seeing grounds cases of the illness.

The CDC estimated determination person been astatine slightest 7.5 cardinal flu cases this play arsenic of Dec. 20, arsenic good arsenic astatine slightest 81,000 hospitalizations and 3,100 deaths. There person been 8 flu-related pediatric deaths, the CDC said.

The CDC says 32 jurisdictions are showing "high" oregon "very high" levels of flu. Last week, conscionable 17 jurisdictions were successful those categories. Jurisdictions see each 50 states and immoderate territories, arsenic good arsenic the District of Columbia and New York City. 

A CDC representation uses the proportionality of outpatient visits to wellness attraction providers for influenza-like illnesses that see a fever positive a cough oregon sore pharynx to measurement flu enactment levels successful the jurisdiction. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The New York State Department of Health said that it had seen astir 71,000 cases for the week that ended Dec. 20 — the astir ever recorded successful 1 week since the section began tracking the unwellness successful 2004. There were implicit 3,600 flu hospitalizations recorded successful the authorities during the week.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health besides recorded "high" flu activity. Boston announced a 114% summation successful caller flu cases, with children seeing the biggest summation successful cases. Meanwhile, a spike successful cases prompted a Minnesota schoolhouse to displacement to online learning earlier Christmas. CBS News Minnesota reported that the authorities had seen 113 flu-related hospitalizations successful 2025, much than treble the fig recorded past year.

Experts person expressed interest astir this year's flu season. A caller subtype of influenza A called H3N2 is spreading quickly. The CDC reported that of 2,086 specimens that tested affirmative for flu betwixt Dec. 13 and Dec. 20, 2,029 of them had influenza A. When 1,627 of those specimens were subtyped, 1,493, oregon astir 92%, were recovered to beryllium H3N2.

Jesse Bloom, a idiosyncratic astatine the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center who studies viral evolution, told CBS News that the microorganism has changed conscionable capable to marque it harder for people's immune systems to admit the illness. The strain is known for causing tougher flu seasons, particularly for seniors.

Fewer radical person besides gotten flu shots this year. About 130 cardinal doses of the flu vaccine person been administered nationwide, the CDC said.

Richard Webby, manager of the World Health Organization's Collaborating Centre for Studies connected the Ecology of Influenza successful Animals and Birds, said that portion experts are expecting a "H3N2 mismatch," the vaccine's "match to H1N1 and flu B is expected to beryllium good." Meanwhile, aboriginal play information from the United Kingdom suggests that the vaccines are inactive helping forestall terrible illness, particularly successful children.

"Getting the vaccine is thing that people, peculiarly those who are successful high-risk groups, tin do," Bloom said. "It's not going to destruct their accidental of getting infected, but it does mitigate their risk."

Edited by Alex Sundby

• Flu Season