Flu Continues to be Major Health Issue

According to figures published Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the nationwide levels of influenza are now at their highest since the peak of the 2009 swine flu pandemic, amid this winter’s second wave of the virus. While most flu seasons typically see a resurgence of infections after the winter holidays, this winter’s flu wave has reached unusually high levels compared to recent years. This has driven overall levels of respiratory illness to “very high” levels for the first time this season despite a smaller and now-declining wave of COVID-19 in recent months.

The CDC reports that most states have “high” or “very high” levels of influenza activity, though some may have reached their peak. Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia are just three of several states categorized as very high.

Data collected by the CDC from labs found that 31.6% of tests last week were positive for influenza, nearly double the 18.2% recorded at last season’s peak.