Flu widespread has apparently jumped from 10 states to 25 just last week, according to a recent statement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CNN reported Friday,
Based on the weekly advisory of the CDC from December 22-28, widespread of flu activity was reported in 25 states from 10 states reported a week earlier.
The 25 states with prevalent flu activity include: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington state, and Wyoming.
By "widespread," the report means that more than 50% of geographic regions in a certain state have active flu activity documented. Hence, the report is not inclusive of the severity of the case.
Several reports stated that about 20 states experienced a high percentage of outpatient check-ups for flu-like conditions. Out of all documented cases, the most severe activity was identified in the Southeastern states, the Huffingtonpost reported.
"It's a typical influenza season, if I can use that word [thus far]," CDC's Flu Division Medical Officer Dr. Michael Jhung said.
The flu season is said to begin in the winter months with recorded peaks in January or February.
This season, the most common strain documented in health facilities is H1N1, the strain that was referred to as swine flu during its 2009 outbreak.
"It's the same virus that we saw in 2009 that caused the pandemic," Dr. Jhung said. Nevertheless, "it's established itself very nicely in the human population," he added.
"We've seen it every season since 2009 in people," Jhung said adding that the strain is not to be referred to as swine flu anymore; instead it is now a human seasonal virus.
While the CDC has recorded an estimated number of deaths due to flu-related causes between 3,000 and 49,000 from 1976 through 2007, the exact number of flu-related death has become hard to track as years progressed.
Last year, recorded hospitalized cases include 381,000 people. Meanwhile, 171 children reportedly died due to a relatively severe season.
As of late, the CDC estimates that flu vaccination has helped in the prevention of 6.6 million illnesses, 3.2 million doctor visits, and at least 79,000 hospitalizations last year, CNN reported.
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