The U.S. is still reporting unusually low flu activity, according to the CDC's FluView report for the week ending March 13.
Five updates:
1. FluSurv-NET sites have reported a cumulative hospitalization rate of 0.7 per 100,000 Americans between Oct. 1, 2020, and March 13, 2021, which is about a fourth of the rate at this time during the low severity 2011-12 flu season.
2. The percentage of visits to an outpatient provider for flu-like illness was 0.9 percent for the week ending March 13, compared to 0.8 percent the week prior. This figure remains below the national baseline of 2.6 percent.
3. No new pediatric flu deaths were reported for the week ending March 13. In total, one pediatric flu death has been recorded for the 2020-21 flu season. Though the 2020-21 flu season is still occuring, this number is much lower than other seasons, with pediatric flu deaths exceeding 140 deaths each season for the past three seasons.
4. The national flu and pneumonia mortality rate is 13.3 percent, which sits above the epidemic threshold of 7.1 percent. The majority of these deaths are attributed to COVID-19.
5. All states and Washington, D.C., reported minimal flu activity for the week ending March 13, the seventh consecutive week in a row nationwide flu activity has been minimal.