Influenza cases have reached their peak for the season and continue to climb across the United States. Federal health officials are now warning that 43 states are experiencing “high” or “very high” levels of flu activity.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 32 states and Washington, D.C., are currently classified as having “very high” flu activity, while 11 states fall into the “high” category. The hardest-hit areas include the South, Southwest, and Western regions.
One of the key indicators of flu severity is the percentage of doctor’s office visits attributed to flu-like symptoms. The latest CDC data, published on Feb. 7, reveals that this number has surpassed the peak of any flu season since the 2009–2010 outbreak of H1N1, commonly known as swine flu.
So far this season, the CDC estimates that the flu has led to at least 24 million illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations, and 13,000 deaths, including 57 children. The agency noted in its weekly report that flu activity remains “elevated” and is continuing to rise nationwide.
In a separate analysis, the CDC estimates that flu infections are currently increasing in 15 states, while six states are seeing a decline. Despite these concerning trends, the agency has not yet revised its overall assessment of the season’s severity, which was described as “moderate” in late January.
For comparison, last winter’s flu season was also categorized as moderate, with an estimated 28,000 flu-related deaths, including 205 pediatric deaths—the highest number recorded for a conventional flu season.
While seasonal influenza remains the dominant concern, health officials also addressed the presence of avian influenza, or H5N1. No new human cases have been reported this week, and there has been no confirmed human-to-human transmission in the U.S. to date. However, a Louisiana resident who contracted the virus late last year later died. The individual was over 65 and had preexisting health conditions.
Health officials also recently reported a new strain of avian influenza infecting dairy cattle in Nevada, different from the one that has been spreading among herds since last year. The ongoing outbreak has forced farmers to cull millions of chickens, contributing to a rise in egg prices, which averaged $4.15 per dozen in December 2024.
Meanwhile, other respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19 and RSV appear to be waning, according to CDC projections and hospital data.
As flu activity remains high, the CDC continues to recommend that everyone six months and older receive an annual flu vaccine. Despite these recommendations, vaccination rates have declined in recent years. In the current flu season, childhood flu vaccinations dropped by 20 percentage points compared to the previous season and by 8.3 percentage points compared to the pre-pandemic 2019–2020 season.
With weeks left in the flu season, health officials urge caution, particularly among seniors and those with underlying health conditions, who are at greater risk of severe complications.