CDC Flu News: Week #47

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported influenza activity throughout the USA for Week #47, on November 30, 2018. 

Despite the CDC’s recommendation to get children vaccinated against influenza, the vaccine rate among U.S. children is much lower for flu, than for other childhood vaccines. 

In the last flu season between fall 2017 through spring 2018, a record-setting 183 children died from influenza.   

Less than 60 percent of these fatalities had received the flu vaccine, reported the CDC.

Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness. Serious outcomes of flu infection can result in hospitalization or death, says the CDC.

Pediatric fatalities: 

A total of five influenza-associated pediatric deaths have been reported for the 2018-2019 season,

Two influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported to CDC during week 47.  One death was associated with an influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus and occurred during week 46 (the week ending November 17, 2018) and one death was associated with an influenza A(H3) virus and occurred during week 47 (the week ending November 24, 2018), and

Additional information on influenza-associated pediatric deaths including basic demographics, underlying conditions, bacterial co-infections, and place of death for the current and past seasons, is available on FluView Interactive. 

Outpatient Influenza Reports:

• Nationwide during week 47, 2.3% of patient visits reported through the U.S. Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network (ILINet) were due to influenza-like illness (ILI). This percentage is above the national baseline of 2.2%.

Influenza subtypes:

• During May 20-November 24, 2018, 173 specimens (72 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, 57 influenza A(H3N2), and 44 influenza B viruses) collected in the United States were tested for susceptibility to the neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir, zanamivir, and peramivir). All tested viruses were sensitive to all three recommended antiviral medications.

National trends: 

• The following ILI activity levels were experienced: Georgia and Louisiana experienced high ILI activity, while Alabama, Oklahoma, and Utah experienced moderate ILI activity.
• FluView Interactive: FluView includes enhanced web-based interactive applications that can provide dynamic visuals of the influenza data collected and analyzed by CDC. These FluView Interactive applications allow people to create customized, visual interpretations of influenza data, as well as make comparisons across flu seasons, regions, age groups and a variety of other demographics.

Recent influenza news:

• Flu Shot Misconceptions Reach 51% of Patients
• Taiwan Flu Vaccines Inspected for Impurities
• Kentucky Has A New Horse in the Race to Tackle the Flu
• Cell-Based Flu Vaccine Reported 36% More Effective
• Improve Flu Vaccination Rates by Decreasing Fake-News

The CDC Vaccine Price List provides the private sector vaccine prices for general information.

And, vaccine discounts can be found here.   

Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of vaccines to the CDC.