COVID-19 Overwhelmed Influenza Related Fatalities

The Influenza Hospitalization Surveillance Network reported today, between October 2020 and April 24, 2021, FluSurv-NET sites reported an influenza hospitalization rate of 0.8 per 100,000 population.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated on April 30, 2021, 'This is much lower than average for this point in the season and lower than rates for any season since routine data collection began in 2005, including the low severity 2011-12 season.'

'The current rate is one-tenth the rate at this time during the 2011-12 season.'

Based on mortality surveillance data available on April 29, 2021, 11.8% of the deaths that occurred during the week ending April 24, 2021 (week #16) were due to pneumonia, influenza, and/or COVID-19 (PIC).

Among the 2,429 PIC deaths reported last week, 1,630 had COVID-19 listed as an underlying or contributing cause of death on the death certificate, and three listed influenza, indicating that current PIC mortality is due primarily to COVID-19 and not influenza.

And, no influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported during week #16. The CDC confirmed one influenza-associated pediatric death during the 2020-2021 flu season in the USA.