As of late December, flu activity was highest in Louisiana and lowest in Nevada, CDC data shows.
The CDC defines influenza-like illness, or ILI, as a fever of 100 degrees or greater, along with a cough and/or sore throat. The agency collects data on outpatient visits to healthcare providers for respiratory illness through ILINet. ILI percentages are weighted for state population and compared to baseline levels to assess flu activity. For more information on how the metric is calculated, click here.
Hospitals reported 12,543 new flu admissions in the week ending Dec. 21, up from 9,087 the week prior, according to the CDC's latest FluView report. About 4.9% of outpatient visits involved patients with respiratory illness. This metric sits above the national baseline of 3% and is up from 3.8% the week prior.
Note: The list includes ties.
1. Louisiana — 11
2. Oregon — 9.8
3. Alaska — 8.5
4. Tennessee — 8.2
5. New Mexico — 7.9
6. Alabama — 7.3
7. Idaho — 7.2
8. District of Columbia — 6.8
9. California — 6.7
9 (tie). Mississippi — 6.7
9 (tie). New Jersey — 6.7
10. Hawaii — 6.4
11. Arizona — 6.2
12. Georgia — 6.1
13. South Carolina — 5.8
14. Florida — 5.7
15. Texas — 5.5
16. Arkansas — 5.4
17. Kansas — 5.3
17 (tie). Nebraska — 5.3
18. Colorado — 4.9
19. Ohio — 4.8
20. Virginia — 4.6
21. Washington — 4.5
22. Indiana — 3.8
22 (tie). Maryland — 3.8
23. Iowa — 3.7
24. Massachusetts — 3.5
25. Connecticut — 3.3
25 (tie). Illinois — 3.3
25 (tie). New York — 3.3
25 (tie). North Carolina — 3.3
26. Wyoming — 3.2
27. Utah — 3.1
28. Michigan — 2.6
29. New Hampshire — 2.5
29 (tie). Wisconsin — 2.5
30. Pennsylvania — 2.3
31. Kentucky — 2.1
32. Minnesota — 2
33. Oklahoma — 1.8
33 (tie). Rhode Island — 1.8
34. Delaware — 1.7
34 (tie). Missouri — 1.7
34 (tie). West Virginia — 1.7
35. Maine — 1.5
35 (tie). South Dakota — 1.5
36. North Dakota — 1.3
37. Vermont — 1.1
38. Montana — 1
39. Nevada — 0.1