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This year's flu season surpassed the last "high severity" flu season in terms of the rates of hospitalizations, with flu-related deaths and pediatric flu-associated deaths continuing to climb, CDC researchers reported.
In fact, they said, it is possible that both the percentage of flu-related deaths and hospitalizations could reach or surpass other recent high severity flu seasons.
Data from this week's found that influenza-related cumulative hospitalizations rose to 51.4 per 100,000 -- the highest rate since CDC began tracking hospitalizations in this particular way in 2010.
"As of this week, overall hospitalizations are now at the highest we've seen -- higher than the 2014-2015 season," Anne Schuchat, MD, acting director of the CDC, said on a conference call with the media.
Pneumonia and influenza-related deaths jumped to 9.7%, which is above the epidemic threshold for the third week in a row. CDC researchers noted that this is still not as high as the 2012-2013 or 2014-2015 seasons, each of which peaked at over 10%.
There were 16 influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported for this week's data, bringing the total to 53 children who have died of the flu so far this season. CDC researchers said the last time there were so many pediatric deaths during a flu season was in 2014-2015. About half of these children do not have underlying medical conditions.
This number falls far below the 350 pediatric-related influenza deaths in the 2009-2010 pandemic season, the researchers added.
But once again, young children were third in the rates of cumulative hospitalization (33.3 per 100,000) behind adults ages ≥65 (226.8 per 100,000) and adults ages 50 to 64 (54.0 per 100,000). CDC said that the influenza-associated hospitalization rates for children are tracking lower than in 2014-2015.
Outpatient visits for influenza-like illness increased again -- to 7.1% of patient visits, with the researchers noting that there have only been two seasons in the last 16 years that were higher.
Schuchat noted that the CDC received reports of antiviral drug shortages, but that "manufacturers say there is product available." Yesterday, the FDA on shortages of IV saline, saying they "expect supplies of saline to increase over the next month."
Widespread flu activity occurred in 48 states, down from 49 in last week's data -- which the CDC researchers characterized as "unprecedented." With Oregon not reporting widespread activity this week, the investigators added that they are hoping this is the beginning of a trend of reducing flu activity in the western part of the country.
Schuchat said that while 76% of viruses being reported in the most recent data are influenza A (H3N2), there is no evidence that the virus has drifted, but that "viruses prepared for use in egg-based manufacturing make it less similar to H3N2 viruses."
The CDC estimates releasing interim vaccine effectiveness numbers in the next couple of weeks. When asked about a recent study estimating vaccine effectiveness at 17%, Schuchat said she was not surprised by this, and that she expected their result may be in the "same range," but it will depend on the mix of strains in the U.S.