CDC: 1,288 new cases of influenza confirmed

FluView Report. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/. Accessed Jan. 24, 2011.

From Jan. 9 to Jan. 15, 1,288 of 4,983 specimens tested by WHO and the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System were positive for influenza, bringing the total number of influenza cases to 11,425 since Oct. 3, according to the CDC’s weekly FluView report.

In week 2 of 2011, influenza A accounted for 84.8% of the influenza cases, and influenza B accounted for 15.2%. Among the influenza A cases, 44.6% of these were subtyped as influenza A (H3) and 15.8% were subtyped as influenza A (2009 H1N1). The remaining cases were not subtyped.

There were two influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported during Jan. 9 to Jan. 15. Ten total pediatric deaths have been reported during the 2010-2011 season: two deaths were associated with a non-subtyped influenza A virus, five deaths were associated with influenza A (H3), and three deaths were associated with influenza B virus. The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza overall during week 2 was 7.5%, which was below the epidemic threshold.

The proportion of visits for influenza-like illness during week 2 was 2.9%, which is above the national baseline. Three regions reported influenza-like illnesses above the region-specific baseline level. Four states reported high influenza-like illness activity. Seven states experienced low influenza-like illness activity. Thirty states experienced minimal influenza-like illness activity. Nine states and New York City experienced moderate influenza-like illness activity. The District of Columbia had insufficient data.

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