Forty-one influenza-associated pediatric deaths occurring during the 2018-2019 flu season have been reported to CDC as of Feb. 16, according to the CDC's most recent FluView report.
Five things to know:
1. The percentage of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness increased to 5.1 percent for the week ending Feb. 16, which is above the national baseline of 2.2 percent. All 10 regions reported influenza-like illness at or above their region-specific baseline level.
2. The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for influenza viruses in clinical laboratories increased. Influenza A (H1N1) viruses predominated in most areas of the country, but influenza A(H3) viruses predominated in the southeastern U.S.
3. The CDC reported 7,922 laboratory-confirmed flu-associated hospitalizations from Oct. 1, 2018, through Feb. 16. The overall flu-associated hospitalization rate was 27.4 per 100,000 population.
4. Thirty states experienced high influenza-like illness activity for the week ending Feb. 16. Eleven states experienced moderate activity; six states experienced low activity; and three states experienced minimal activity.
5. Forty-eight states reported widespread flu activity for the week ending Feb. 16. West Virginia reported regional activity, and Hawaii reported sporadic activity.