Flu Season Peaking in These Southern Cities

While the United States community is debating where and when the 2023-2024 flu season will arrive, the Walgreens Flu Index® ranks the top markets and states for flu activity, including Puerto Rico.

As of September 30, 2023, cities in the southern U.S. led the Top 10 Designated Market Areas with Flu Activity.

1. Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, Texas
2. Puerto Rico (San Juan)
3. El Paso, Texas (Las Cruces, N.M.)
4. Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas
5. New Orleans, La.
6. Columbus-Tupelo-West Point-Houston, Miss.
7. Honolulu, Hawaii
8. Corpus Christi, Texas
9. Houston, Texas
10. Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

From a more clinical perspective, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today published its week #39 Influenza Surveillance Report.

As of October 6, 2023, seasonal flu rates last week were low nationally, with 444 (1%) positive specimens reported last week.

Additionally, 1,040 patients with laboratory-confirmed influenza were admitted to a hospital, an increased number since the previous CDC report.

And the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics mortality surveillance data distributed on October 5, 2023, confirmed that 11 additional influenza-related deaths were reported last week.

Of the flu-related deaths reported from October 2, 2022, to September 9, 2023, 9,697 (4%) listed influenza. 

This data exceeded the average number of influenza-coded deaths (8,530) from 2015-16 through 2019-20.

Among 5,390 hospitalized adults with information on underlying medical conditions, 96.8% had at least one reported underlying medical condition; the most commonly reported were hypertension, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorder, and obesity. 

The CDC's new Director, Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH, recently answered questions and offered the most up-to-date information and common-sense solutions so you can protect yourself and your loved ones this respiratory season.

This week's updated flu shot availability news indicated that over 100 million influenza vaccines had been distributed to health clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.