There are 12 states in the U.S. that have “‘very high” flu activity, according to the CDC.
Flu cases on the rise nationwide
Of the 50 states, 40 are reporting high or very high levels of flu activity. Nearly released data shows the current U.S. flu season is shattering records.
Fox – Milwaukee
Influenza levels in the United States are the highest they’ve been in 15 years as winter weather persists and the second wave of the virus causes more and more infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
The most recent CDC Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report shows that 7.8% of visits to a healthcare provider were for respiratory illness, the worst since the swine flu pandemic in late 2009. According to the report, most flu statistics in the U.S. are trending up, including the positive flu infections (31.6%), the patients admitted to hospitals with the flu this week (48,661), and the number of deaths attributed to the flu this week (2%).
“Seasonal influenza activity remains elevated and continues to increase across the country,” the CDC said.
For the first time this flu season, overall levels of the respiratory illness have reached “very high” activity despite a decrease in COVID-19 infections in recent months, according to the CDC. The states that currently have “very high” flu levels include Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maine, the government agency said.
Flu infections are growing or likely growing in 15 states
As of Feb. 4, the CDC estimates that flu infections are growing or likely growing in 15 states, declining or likely declining in six states and not changing in 27 states. One of the states where flu levels are growing is Kentucky, where the probability of an influenza epidemic is growing by 92.45%, the CDC said.
Dr. Kris Bryant, associate medical director for the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness, told the Courier-Journal — part of the Network — that flu cases have had a significant impact on children in Kentucky this year, particularly those in schools and early childhood learning centers.
“So far this week, more than 2,900 kids have tested positive,” Bryant said last week. “The week’s not over, that number is still going up.”
Bryant also said immunization rates among children have also been extremely low in Kentucky this flu season, which have steadily declined since the coronavirus pandemic.
“Less than 30% of children in Jefferson County received a flu vaccine this year,” she said. “Nationally, the numbers are down and the numbers of kids getting immunized has been falling every year since 2020. At the end of January, the CDC reported that less than half of kids were protected against flu. It was around 44%.”
Influenza vaccination rates in children are at their lowest level in six years, according to the CDC. In 2025, fewer than half of Americans have been vaccinated, the government agency said.
What are symptoms of the flu?
According to the CDC, flu symptoms can include:
- Fever or a feeling of feverish/chills
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle or body aches
- Headaches
- Fatigue (tiredness)
- Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.
Flu infections, bird flu spread throughout US
Compared to 2009’s high numbers, lab tests across the U.S. suggest cases this year are from the usual seasonal variants of the virus and not a new strain that has spilled over from animals. The increase in flu infections comes as the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, continues to cause an egg price hike and a spread among poultry flocks.
The CDC still considers the general population at “low” risk for catching bird flu, but one 65-year-old Louisiana resident with complicating health conditions did die from the disease. Younger farmworkers who were infected by the virus only had mild symptoms and recovered.
In general, workers who interact with sick animals remain at highest risk and are recommended to wear protective gear around them at all times, according to the CDC.
Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for . Reach him at JLimehouse@gannett.com.
