Flu activity continues to increase in the U.S., but the CDC said it's too early to predict when flu season will peak or which strains will be dominant, according to the agency's most recent FluView report.
Five things to know:
1. The percentage of outpatient visits for flu-like illness was 2.1 percent for the week ending Nov. 1, up from 1.9 percent a week prior. However, this figure remains below the national baseline of 2.4 percent.
2. About 3.2 percent of respiratory specimens tested positive for flu in clinical laboratories nationwide for the week ending Nov. 1, marking a slight increase from the previous week. The agency has confirmed 1,978 positive specimens since Sep. 29.
3. Louisiana experienced high flu-like illness activity for the week ending Nov. 1. Nine states experienced low activity, and the remaining states experienced minimal activity.
4. No new pediatric flu deaths were reported to the CDC in the week ending Nov. 1. The pediatric death count remains at two for the 2019-20 flu season.
5. Maryland and Louisiana reported widespread flu activity, and Alabama reported regional flu activity for the week ending Nov. 1. Fifteen states reported local flu activity, 31 states reported sporadic activity and Rhode Island reported no flu activity.
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