Flu hospital admission rates rose in four of the 10 federal health regions during the week ending Oct. 17, covering New England, the Southeast, Texas and its neighbors, and the Pacific Northwest, according to the CDC's FluView report. Nationally, the CDC still describes seasonal flu activity as low, though it is increasing in many parts of the country.
The national picture is early but notable. The weekly rate of laboratory-confirmed flu hospitalizations in the CDC's FluSurv-NET system held at 1.1 per 100,000 people, unchanged from the prior week, but the CDC said it is the highest rate for this week of the season since 2010-11. After accounting for reporting delays, the true rate likely ranges from 1.5 to 2.0.
