Flu Cases Surge Nationwide To Highest Level In 25 Years
Doctors’ visits for flu-like symptoms have hit their highest level in more than 25 years, according to the CDC. Health officials warn that cases are still climbing and could peak in late January or February.
BY THE NUMBERS
Forty-five states are reporting high or very high flu activity. The latest CDC data, published Monday for the week ending Dec. 27, shows 8% of all outpatient visits in the U.S. were for flu-like illness, the highest level recorded since the CDC began tracking in 1997. At this point, the numbers don't take into account the virus spreading from the end of holiday travel.
The flu has so far caused more than 11 million illnesses in the U.S. since the season began in October. Of those, there have been about 120,000 hospitalizations and at least 5,000 deaths, including nine children.
New York has been hit especially hard, with state health officials announcing over 71,000 cases last week — the most cases ever recorded in a single week in the state.
Officials say Influenza A is the dominant strain, driven by a fast-spreading, mutated H3N2 subvariant known as subclade K, which emerged in Australia over the summer.
Another issue: This year's vaccine isn't that well aligned with that dominant strain. Still, doctors warn that symptoms can be more severe in unvaccinated people.
The spike also comes as flu vaccination rates are falling.
Flu immunizations among children have dropped from 53% in 2019-20 to 42% this season, and adult vaccinations have declined from 61 million to about 48 million.
On Monday, HHS removed the annual flu shot from the list of universally recommended childhood vaccines.
⏳ THE SPEED READ
🚨NATION
Sen. Kelly Says Hegseth’s Censure, Demotion Efforts Are About ‘Stifling Free Speech’ (MO NEWS)
Trump administration halting $10 billion in social service funding to 5 Democratic states (CBS)
DOJ says millions of Epstein files have yet to be released (POLITICO)
Trial underway for former Uvalde school police officer accused of slow response to shooting (FOX)
California GOP Congressman Doug LaMalfa dies at 65 (CNN)
🌎 AROUND THE WORLD
European leaders rally behind Greenland as US ramps up threats (GUARDIAN)
Swiss bar hit by deadly NYE fire had not been inspected in five years (CNN)
Tourists stranded on remote desert island in Yemen after rift between U.S. allies (NBC)
China bans exports to Japan of dual-use goods that could enhance Tokyo’s military power (AP)
📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH
The mother of one of Elon Musk’s children says his AI bot won’t stop creating sexualized images of her (NBC)
Nvidia unveils self-driving car tech as it seeks to power more products with AI (BBC)
Hyundai plans 30,000 humanoid robots a year for factories by 2028 (AXIOS)
Lego introduces ‘smart bricks’ with sound and light effects to new Star Wars sets (GUARDIAN)
🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A new Grammy category honors album covers, and the artists that make them (AP)
Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr — known for bleak, existential movies — has died (NPR)
Mickey Rourke’s latest crisis leads to crowdfunding campaign for alleged unpaid rent money (FOX)
Ruben Amorim fired as Manchester United head coach after 14 months (ESPN)