United States

Flu Worsens and It's Still Bad Almost Everywhere: CDC

The agency said this flu season has lasted for 10 weeks and could last as long as 20 weeks

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the flu season is still underway with reports of additional child and adult deaths in the last week, adding that it had seen higher numbers of hospitalizations than before and that the flu season could continue into the next several weeks, NBC News reported.

The CDC said the 16 additional pediatric deaths bring the total fatalities to 53 this flu season. There have been a higher number of hospitalizations, and the CDC saw higher than ever numbers in senior adults and children under the age of 5.

Influenza Surveillance Report (Week Ending Jan. 27, 2018)
Click on each state for more information.

Data: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Nina Lin/NBC

The agency said this flu season has lasted for 10 weeks and could last as long as 20 weeks.

"We continue to recommend the flu vaccine," CDC acting director Dr. Anne Schuchat said. Flu vaccines on the market protect against three or four strains of influenza, and all four strains are circulating. The most common virus putting people into the hospital is the H3N2 strain and the vaccine is not terribly effective against that strain, but it works better against H1N1, which is also circulating, and the two influenza B strains Schuchat said.

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