Already 880,000 Patients... Worst Flu Season in 13 Years Begins in the US

Flu Outbreak 6 Weeks Earlier Than Usual and Rapidly Spreading
Low Flu Vaccination Rate Due to Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Following the earlier-than-usual onset of flu cases in the United States, the spread is also significant, leading to pessimistic predictions that the situation might surpass the global flu pandemic of 2009.

According to a report by the Washington Post (WP) on the 28th (local time), the flu season in the U.S. started abnormally early this year, resulting in the highest number of hospitalizations at this point in the last decade. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that at least 880,000 people have already contracted the flu this fall, with 6,900 hospitalizations and 360 deaths.

Typically, the seasonal flu season runs from October to May of the following year, with the peak usually occurring between December and January. However, this year’s flu season began about six weeks earlier than usual, raising concerns among experts about the upcoming winter period, which is the main phase of flu spread.

William Schaffner, a director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and a professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, said, "The data is ominous," adding, "Not only did the flu start early, but the situation is very serious."

Adding to his concerns is the much lower flu vaccination rate compared to the same period in previous years. According to CDC statistics, about 128 million doses of the flu vaccine have been administered so far, which is significantly lower than 139 million doses at the same time last year and 154 million doses in 2020. This is analyzed as a result of hesitancy toward vaccination due to COVID-19 extending to flu vaccines as well.

Professor Schaffner stated, "The low flu vaccination rate doubles the worry," and "It clearly looks like the start of the worst flu season in 13 years." The 2009 flu pandemic began in late March in the U.S. and spread worldwide, resulting in over 6.7 million cases.

Currently, flu cases in the U.S. are concentrated in the South and Southeast, spreading along the Atlantic coast. According to CDC statistics, the respiratory illness activity index is "very high" in South Carolina and Washington DC, with increasing respiratory illness cases in 11 states (Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York City, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia).

The CDC recommends that everyone aged six months and older get vaccinated by the end of October, as it can take up to two weeks after vaccination for the vaccine to become effective.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.