Increases in flu activity in the week ending Dec. 15 have signaled the start of the 2018-2019 influenza season, according to the CDC's most recent FluView report.
After sustained elevated activity is observed across key flu indicators for several weeks, flu season is said to have started, according to the CDC.
Five things to know:
1. The percentage of outpatient visits for influenzalike illness, which had been at or slightly above the national baseline of 2.2 percent for the previous three weeks, rose to 2.7 percent nationally, with 8 out of 10 regions of the country at or above their regional baselines.
2. The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for flu is increasing. The CDC confirmed 2,522 positive specimens for influenza A and 144 positive specimens for influenza B in the week ending Dec. 15.
3. The CDC reported 835 laboratory-confirmed flu-associated hospitalizations from Oct. 1 through Dec. 15. The overall flu-associated hospitalization rate was 2.9 per 100,000 population.
4. One pediatric flu death was reported to CDC for the week ending Dec. 15. A total of seven pediatric flu deaths have been reported for the 2018-19 season.
5. Six states (Alabama, California, Delaware, Georgia, Massachusetts and New York) reported widespread flu activity for the week ending Dec. 15. Eighteen states reported regional flu activity; 19 states reported local flu activity; and seven states reported sporadic activity.
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