Flu activity ‘elevated’ in US but showing signs of abating, CDC data shows

(NEW YORK) — Flu activity remains “elevated” in the United States but is starting to show signs of abating, according to new federal data published Friday.

The 2024-25 flu season was classified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a “high” severity season overall and for all age groups, making it the first high severity season since 2017-2018.

During the week ending Feb. 15, 6.8% of visits to doctors’ offices were for flu-like illness, down from 7.7% of visits over the previous two weeks, CDC data shows.

Emergency department visits for flu also fell to 6.4% during the week ending Feb. 15 from more than 8% for the two weeks prior.

Additionally, 26.9% of tests came back positive for flu during the week ending Feb. 15. This is higher than the peak of 18.2% last flu season but lower than the 31.4% recorded over the previous two weeks.

The CDC estimates there have been at least 33 million illnesses, 430,000 hospitalizations and 19,000 deaths from flu so far this season

At least 86 pediatric flu deaths have been recorded so far, with 18 reported the week ending Feb. 15.

It comes as overall respiratory illness activity is listed as “high” nationwide, CDC data shows.

As of Friday, nine states are listed as having “very high” levels of respiratory virus activity and 14 states are listed as “high.” The remaining states are listed as having “moderate” or “low” levels.

Comparatively, 12 states were listed as “very high” and 20 states were listed as “high” last week.

Meanwhile, although COVID-19 activity is “elevated” in many areas of the U.S., CDC data shows emergency department visits are at low levels and the number of laboratory tests coming back positive is stable.

Respiratory syncytial virus activity was also described as “elevated” but declining in most areas of the U.S., according to the CDC.

Public health experts have recommended children and adults receive the flu and COVID vaccine as well as older adults receive the RSV vaccine, but coverage is “low,” according to the CDC.

As of Feb 8, only 45.3% of adults were vaccinated against the flu and 23,1% were vaccinated with the updated 2024-25 COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, just 46.7% of adults ages 75 and older have received the RSV vaccine, according to CDC data.

Nearly half of all children are vaccinated against the flu at 45.8%, but just 12.1% have received the updated COVID-19 vaccine.