CDC Reports Flu Widespread, Google Search Trends Alarming

According to new surveillance statistics released on Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), forty-seven states in the U.S. are now reporting widespread influenza activity [1]. The virus, which first appeared in the Southeast, has reached epidemic levels. Forty-seven states have reported widespread geographic influenza activity (i.e. incidence of flu) for the week between December 30, 2012 and January 5, 2013, and twenty-four states and New York City have reported high influenza-like illness (ILI) activity (i.e. the proportion of outpatient visits to healthcare providers for influenza-like illness; see map above) [2]. Earlier this month, Dr. Joe Bresee, Chief of the Epidemiology and Prevention Branch in CDC’s Influenza Division, said that “reports of influenza-like-illness are nearing what have been peak levels during moderately severe seasons” [3]. Flu deaths and the epidemic Deaths from flu are much more common than many people think. Thousands of adults and hundreds of children die each year from the flu. Because flu seasons are unpredictable and often fluctuate in length and severity, a single estimate can’t be used to summarize seasonal flu-related deaths. Instead, the CDC uses a range of estimated deaths to represent the variability of flu. From the 1976-1977 flu season to the 2006-2007 flu season, flu-associated deaths ranged from a low of ~3,000 to a high of ~49,000 people [4]. Death certificate data and weekly inf...
Source: Highlight HEALTH - Category: Medical Scientists Authors: Source Type: blogs