13,000 Americans Have Died in This Ongoing Flu Season According to U.S. CDC with Colorado Among Hardest Hit
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Feb 09, 2025 1 day, 8 hours, 53 minutes ago
U.S. Medical News: Flu Cases Surge Across the United States
The United States is experiencing one of the most intense flu seasons in over a decade, with Colorado among the worst-affected states. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), influenza cases are rising rapidly across the country, leading to widespread concern among health professionals and the public alike.
13,000 Americans Have Died in This Ongoing Flu Season According to U.S. CDC with Colorado Among
Hardest Hit
Since the start the start of the flu season in late 2024 till now, the U.S. CDC has reported an alarming 24 million flu cases, with over 13,000 deaths attributed to the flu virus alone!
https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2025-week-05.html
Dr. Richard Vu, a physician from Matthews-Vu Medical Group in Colorado Springs, emphasized the severity of the outbreak. "In the community, there are many respiratory cases in both children and adults," he said. This
U.S. Medical News report highlights that outpatient healthcare visits for flu-like symptoms are now at their highest levels since the H1N1 pandemic of 2009.
Colorado Among the Hardest-Hit States
Colorado has been classified as 'very high' for influenza-like illness activity by the CDC, joining 31 other states in this alarming category. Public health officials in the state report a sharp increase in flu-related illnesses, with virus detections rising in regional wastewater systems. Data from about 20 wastewater collection sites across Colorado indicate a 24% increase in flu positivity rates over just one week.
https://cdphe.colorado.gov/viral-respiratory-diseases-report
https://cdphe.colorado.gov/covid-19/wastewater
Further analysis by the Colorado Department of Public Health shows that Type A Influenza is particularly prominent in the Aurora region. One of the key indicators of flu activity is the percentage of doctor’s office visits due to flu-like symptoms, and last week's numbers were higher than any winter flu season since 2009-2010, highlighting the severity of the current outbreak.
Flu Forces School Closures and Strains Healthcare Systems
The flu is not only overwhelming hospitals and clinics but also affecting schools and workplaces. In Texas, the Godley Independent School District, which serves around 3,200 students, had to shut down for three days due to an unprecedented flu outbreak. Reports indicate that 650 students and 60 staff members were absent in a single day due to illness. Jeff Meador, a district spokesperson, described it as the worst flu season in recent memory.
Nationwide, the CDC estim
ates that at least 310,000 people have been hospitalized this flu season but cases are still increasing and it is expected that many healthcare centers and hospitals are going to be overwhelmed in coming weeks.
https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2025-week-05.html
Health experts warn that the peak of the flu season, typically occurring in February, may still be ahead, suggesting that case numbers could continue to rise in the coming weeks.
Other Respiratory Illnesses and Vaccination Rates
While the flu remains dominant, other respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19 and RSV have shown signs of declining, according to hospital data and CDC projections. However, health officials remain vigilant about potential co-infections and the impact they could have on already stretched medical resources.
Flu vaccination rates remain a concern. Approximately 44% of U.S. adults have received a flu shot this winter, similar to last year’s numbers. However, vaccination rates among children have dropped significantly to 45%, down from the usual 50%. COVID-19 vaccination rates have also remained low, with only 23% of adults and 12% of children up to date with their shots as of late January.
The effectiveness of this season’s flu vaccine has yet to be officially reported, but early indications suggest that the dominant strains include Type A H1N1 and Type A H3N2. Health officials are also closely monitoring the spread of Type A H5N1, a bird flu strain that has affected tens of millions of animals but has only infected 67 people in the U.S.
How to Protect Yourself
Doctors emphasize the importance of taking preventive measures to avoid flu and other seasonal viruses. These include:
-Washing hands frequently with soap and water
-Avoiding touching the face, as germs can spread through contact with the eyes, nose, and mouth
-Regularly cleaning commonly touched surfaces
-Maintaining distance from those who are sick
As flu cases continue to rise, public health officials stress the importance of staying vigilant and seeking medical attention if symptoms develop, particularly for those who are immunocompromised or have underlying health conditions.
Conclusion
The current flu season is proving to be one of the most severe in recent history, with millions of Americans falling ill and thousands succumbing to complications. Colorado is among the hardest-hit states, with rapid increases in flu positivity rates and widespread outbreaks reported across the region. With flu-related hospitalizations rising and schools forced to close, health officials urge the public to take necessary precautions. Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent severe flu cases, but maintaining good hygiene and avoiding close contact with sick individuals can also help reduce the spread. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining how severe this flu season ultimately becomes.
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U.S. Medical News, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/u-s-cdc-warns-that-covid-19-cases-are-starting-to-rise-across-america-amidst-an-alarming-flu-surge
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/health-officials-sound-alarm-over-rising-flu-and-covid-19-infections-in-texas
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/kentucky-reports-first-child-death-as-flu-continues-to-surge-across-the-state
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