Flu levels are high in 44 states, NYC and Puerto Rico: CDC
The CDC estimates between 26 and 36 million people have had the flu this season
At least 44 states, New York City and Puerto Rico, have reported high numbers of flu-like illnesses earlier this month, according to government data.
On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published its weekly “U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report,” with data from the sixth week of 2020, from Feb. 2 to Feb. 8.
“The latest CDC #flu activity report is out. It shows New York City, Puerto Rico and 44 states experiencing high flu activity,” a Tuesday tweet from the CDC said.
The CDC reported on Tuesday that in the sixth week of 2020, 44 states, New York City and Puerto Rico had high levels of flu-like illnesses.
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For its report, the CDC uses data from the U.S. Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network, which has health care providers from throughout the country, including all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C.
According to the CDC’s report, the 44 states that have high levels of flu-like illnesses during the sixth week of 2020 were: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
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Aside from those states, the CDC also found that Nevada and Oregon have moderate levels of flu-like illnesses, Washington, D.C., Alaska and Florida have low levels and Idaho has minimal levels.
Delaware and the U.S. Virgin Islands didn’t have enough data for the report, according to the CDC.
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The CDC also published information on the overall flu season, from Oct. 1, 2019, to Feb. 8, 2020.
During that time period, the CDC estimates that there have been between 26 and 36 million cases of the flu.
The agency also estimates that there have been between 250,000 and 440,000 hospitalizations because of the flu and between 14,000 and 36,000 deaths from the flu.
However, the data used from the influenza surveillance network is preliminary and not exact, the CDC said in its overall flu season report.