At a Glance
- 8.2% of outpatient visits are flu-related-the highest since 1997
- 45 states now report high or very high flu activity
- 289 children died last season, the worst on record
- Why it matters: With holiday travel data still ahead, hospitals warn they’re already stretched thin and admissions are rising fast
Flu-like illness has reached its highest level in nearly three decades, according to new CDC data, forcing emergency departments nationwide to boost staffing as cases surge earlier than usual.
Record-Breaking Numbers
For the week ending December 27, doctors logged flu symptoms in 8.2% of outpatient visits-the most since tracking began in 1997. The season has already caused:
- 11 million illnesses
- 120,000 hospitalizations
- At least 5,000 deaths, including nine children
Krista Kniss, a CDC influenza epidemiologist, cautioned that holiday travel could push figures even higher:
> “We’re not anywhere close to being done.”
Regional Snapshot
| Activity Level | States Affected |
|---|---|
| High/Very High | 45 states |
| Low/Moderate | Montana, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia |
| Insufficient Data | Nevada |
Hospitals Feel the Strain
Dr. Nick Cozzi at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago says the influx is constant:
> “I see a lot of patients coming in with cough, runny nose, shortness of breath, diarrhea and bone-chilling body aches.”
Many also test positive for Covid or RSV, compounding respiratory distress and driving admissions above normal levels.
At Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, flu-related hospitalizations more than doubled in the past two weeks compared with the previous fortnight. Dr. Emily Boss notes the spike is running about a month earlier than last year:
> “We don’t know yet what the peak will look like.”
Policy Shift on Pediatric Vaccines
Despite last season’s 289 pediatric deaths-the most since tracking started-the federal government has dropped its universal childhood flu-shot recommendation. Under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Department of Health and Human Services announced an immediate overhaul of the childhood schedule, removing the influenza vaccine.
Dr. Sean O’Leary, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ infectious-diseases committee, called the timing troubling:
> “To back off on a flu recommendation in the midst of a pretty severe flu year seems to me to be pretty tone-deaf.”
For now, the CDC website still states:
> “Everyone 6 months and older, with rare exceptions, should get a flu vaccine.”
A Parent’s Ordeal
Three-year-old Naya Kessler has been hospitalized at UC Davis Medical Center since New Year’s Eve after her flu diagnosis on December 29. Despite receiving this season’s shot, she endured relentless fevers and dehydration.
Her mother, Kat Kessler, credits the vaccine for limiting the illness:
> “I can’t even imagine how much worse it might be for her if we didn’t.”
Key Takeaways
- Flu visits are at a 30-year high and still climbing
- 45 states report intense activity
- Hospitals admit more patients with low oxygen levels
- The childhood flu-shot mandate has been lifted amid last season’s record pediatric deaths
- CDC continues to recommend vaccination for everyone 6 months and older
With peak season still ahead, health providers urge prompt care for severe symptoms and stress that vaccination remains the best defense.
