During the week ending Jan. 10, 19 pediatric deaths associated with the flu were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bringing the total number of influenza-associated pediatric deaths so far this flu season to 45.
Additionally, during the week ending Jan. 10, 8.5 percent of all deaths reported through the Cities Mortality Reporting System were due to pneumonia and influenza. That percentage is well above the epidemic threshold of 7 percent.
While the flu is still at elevated levels, the circulating strains haven't shown any resistance to antivirals used to treat the flu. The CDC has urged clinicians to prescribe antiviral drugs to patients with flu-like symptoms.
Americans continue to visit their clinicians with flu symptoms: During the week ending Jan. 10, 4.4 percent of patient visits to physicians were due to influenza-like illness, above the national baseline of 2 percent.
Since this flu season started in October, there have been 8,199 hospitalizations nationwide associated with the flu.