Few Influenza Related Fatalities Confirmed by the U.S. CDC

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed today, the 2020-2021 flu season in the USA is coming to a quiet close. However, one age group has been found infectious with influenza viruses.

As of Week #22, ending June 5, 2021, the 0–4 years group reported increasing flu cases, while the remaining age groups were stable (change of ≤0.1%) compared with week #21.

The good news reported by the CDC is only (1) influenza-associated pediatric death has occurred during the 2020-2021 flu season.

And mortality surveillance data available on June 10, 2021, reveals 7.5% of the deaths during week #22 were due to pneumonia, influenza, and/or COVID-19 (PIC).

Among the 1,360 PIC deaths reported, 661 had COVID-19 listed as an underlying or contributing cause of death on the death certificate, and two listed influenza, indicating that current PIC mortality is due primarily to COVID-19 and not influenza.