Influenza Update Week Ending 5-12-2018
Influenza (FLU) Update for Week #19 Week Ending 5-12-18
FLU and ILI news continued to get better although there were still two indicators that have not normalized, specifically, hospitalizations and pediatric deaths. For the sixth consecutive week, influenza activity (ILI) was below the national baseline. The number of flu and ILI cases both decreased again.
A quick glance at the graphs for Percentages of Visits for ILI and Pneumonia and Influenza Mortality Surveillance, gives a pictorial presentation of the severity of this flu season.
FirstWatch RIN (Reginal Influenza Network) Alerts occurred rarely, which correlated with CDC reports of continued decreased activity.
For the most recently reported week ending May 12, 2018, the CDC reported:
–ILI visits to clinics and other non-hospital facilities was 1.2%, again below the baseline of 2.2%. For the first time since the flu season became active, all 10 Regions reported ILI as less than Region-specific baselines and were listed as “NORMAL”.
–Flu cases (documented by positive flu tests) decreased again with widespread flu reported in only 2 states. “Clinical lab testing for influenza was positive for flu in 3.9% of the total tests (compared with 6.5% last week). Influenza B remained the dominant flu type with 70.5% of the positive flu tests reported. The remainder of the positive flu tests were Influenza A at 29.5%.
The CDC provides an interactive U.S. map that will link to each state’s public health authorities, ILI and flu information and processes, as well as other diseases and public health topics. Find it at this site: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/usmap.htm
—For Influenza-Like Illness (ILI)
Minimal Activity was reported by New York City, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico & 50 states.
—For Flu (positive flu tests)
Widespread Activity (2 states): Massachusetts and New York
Regional Activity (Guam, Puerto Rico & 3 states): Connecticut, Kentucky and Maine
Local Activity (9 states): Alaska, Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Utah, Vermont, and Wisconsin
Sporadic Activity (Washington D.C., U.S. Virgin Islands & 33 states): Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming
No Activity (3 states): Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee
—Other Data:
Hospitalizations from Flu since Oct. 1, 2017 have had a cumulative rate of 106.6 per 100,000. Specifically, those 65 years and older with 460.3 per 100,000 (459.7/100,000 last week); ages 50-64 at 115.8 per 100,000 (115.7/100,000); and ages 0-4 the same at 74.7 per 100,000. The percentage of pregnant women from the females of childbearing age group (15-44) who were hospitalized were at/near 30% (30.8%), a slight increase.
Death rates for Pneumonia & Influenza in adults remained the same as last week at 6.0% which, for the 7th week in-a-row, fell below the epidemic threshold of 6.9% for Week #17, ending 4/28/18.
There were 3 more pediatric deaths from Flu reported in Week #19; one deaths occurred during week #19, while the other two were in weeks #14 and 16. This is a total of 168 for this flu season, 20 more than the next closest recent Flu Season 2014-2015.
—Flu in Canada and Europe for Week #19:
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), in general, influenza activity decreased again although some areas in Eastern & Central Canada still reported localized activity. Many flu indicators are near or below the average for this time of the year. Positive flu cases fell to 5%, suggesting that it is close to the end of the 2017-2018 Flu Season.
For more info see: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/flu-influenza.html
The European Center for Disease Prevention & Control (ECDC) reported that flu activity was at levels typically seen between Flu seasons in most countries. Lab tests from PCPs were positive for flu 10% of the time (6% last week). Mortality has returned to typical levels for all 20 countries providing data.
For more info see: https://www.flunewseurope.org/
Download the Full Update, and Read EMS Specific Recommendations
See this link for more details, including charts, graphs and maps. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
