There is a flurry of flu cases this season. Arriving later Compared to last two years. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, annual waves of influenza during the colder months peaked weeks earlier than in pre-pandemic seasons.
this year, Flu trends Try to align closely with the 2019 to 2020 season, which also peaks around the New Year.
Some of the highest levels of influenza are now in western states, many of which have already topped the peaks recorded during last winter’s worst flu season.
In Oregon, of the CDC Data In late December, 8.4% of emergency room visits showed that the flu was involved. It is now more than three times the peak of last season.
“You can see that in December 2022, we also had a large increase in flu cases, but this year has been significantly higher than last year,” said Sarah Hotman, of Oregon Health and Science University Hospital. The spokesperson said in an email. .
According to data shared by Hotman with hospitals and other health facilities in their system, 1,101 cases of influenza were treated in November and December 2024, up from 251 cases during the same months in 2023. is
The daily number of flu cases during the 2022 to 2023 season is now the second highest in recent years.
“In 2022, the combination of RSV, flu and COVID could cause a public health emergency and crisis standards of care in area hospitals. We haven’t experienced that, and we currently don’t,” Hotman said. Don’t expect the year,” Hotman said.
Experts estimate that a repeat of a nationwide “tripledemic” is unlikely this year. This season there is a wave of influenza. COVID 19 Levels are now beginning to rise in many parts of the country, weeks later than in some previous years.
Updated CDC Modeling This winter’s wave of COVID-19 is also not expected to be as severe as some previous winter waves, in part because of “new immune-evasion variants” of the virus, according to estimates published on Christmas Eve. Due to the shortage.
CDC last Estimated That most are from COVID infections. XEC variablewhich authorities have said is closely related to previous tensions. LP.8.1 Stress that has been various trackers. Close monitoring Still less than 1 in 10 cases occur.
The latest data from the CDC Wastewater Monitoring Suggests that the level of COVID-19 has recently crossed the “moderate” to “high” level across the country.
Virus levels in wastewater are among the worst in the entire Midwest, although they remain well below the peaks seen during last winter’s surge.
In the Midwest, Indiana ranks as the state with the highest share of emergency room visits with COVID-19, although they are a fraction of influenza visits and down from last winter’s peak.