Flu season appears to have arrived ahead of schedule. Health-record data released Thursday show influenza activity in mid-September reached its highest level for that point in the year since at least 2022, a level the past two seasons did not hit until early November.
The figures come from Epic Research, which analyzes de-identified patient records from health systems that use Epic software. They are not official CDC surveillance numbers, and they do not predict how severe the season will be. They do suggest that many households may face sick days, school absences, and clinic visits earlier than they did last year.
