Levels of influenza across the U.S. have surged to the highest point since the peak of the 2009 swine flu pandemic, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The increase comes as the nation faces a second wave of flu activity this winter.
Nearly 8% of outpatient visits for respiratory illness this week were due to influenza, marking the highest percentage recorded in the CDC’s influenza surveillance network since late 2009. While flu infections typically see an uptick after the winter holidays, this year’s resurgence has reached unusually high levels compared to recent flu seasons.
As a result, overall respiratory illness levels have been classified as “very high” for the first time this season, despite a smaller and now-declining wave of COVID-19 in recent months.
Other indicators of flu activity are also at concerning levels. Data from clinical laboratories show that 31.6% of flu tests last week returned positive results, nearly doubling last season’s peak positivity rate of 18.2%. Most states are currently reporting “high” or “very high” influenza activity, though some may have reached their peak.
According to CDC projections, influenza infections are “likely growing” in 15 states, while cases are either stabilizing or beginning to decline in most other regions.
One of the states experiencing a surge is Kentucky, where pediatric infectious disease specialists have reported an alarming number of positive flu cases among children. Norton Children’s Hospital recorded 3,000 cases last week alone, prompting concerns among healthcare providers.
“We tend to focus on flu as a respiratory illness, but some parents don’t realize it can also cause seizures or, in rare cases, brain inflammation,” said Dr. Kris Bryant, a pediatric infectious disease specialist.
Flu vaccination rates in children have reached their lowest level in six years, with fewer than half of Americans receiving the vaccine this season. Experts suggest vaccine hesitancy may be a contributing factor.
Unlike the 2009 pandemic, current flu cases are attributed to seasonal variants rather than a new emerging strain. Although the country has faced an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu in poultry and dairy cows, human infections remain rare and have been linked to direct animal exposure rather than person-to-person transmission.
Health officials continue to urge flu vaccination and preventive measures as the virus remains widespread.
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