Each flu season, about 8% of people in the United States get sick with influenza. Most recover from the sickness, but thousands die annually of seasonal flu. In the last decade, there have been between 21,000 and 51,000 deaths from flu each season, with the exception of 2020-2021 when flu activity was unusually low.
Certain groups are most likely to develop severe flu infections that could lead to death: children under 5, adults 65 and older, people with chronic health conditions and pregnant people.
