CDC: 1,754 new cases of influenza confirmed during influenza season week 3

**CDC. FluView Report. Accessed Jan. 31, 2011.**

During influenza season week 3, from Jan. 16 to Jan. 22, 1,754 of 5,823 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 14,806 since Oct. 3, according to the CDC’s weekly FluView report.

In week 3, influenza A accounted for 79.4% of the influenza cases and influenza B accounted for 20.6%. Among the influenza A cases, 42% of these were subtyped as influenza A (H3) and 23.9% were subtyped as influenza A (2009 H1N1). The remaining cases were not subtyped.

There were three influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported during week 3. Thirteen total pediatric deaths have been reported during the 2010-2011 season: Two deaths were associated with a non-subtyped influenza A virus, seven deaths were associated with influenza A (H3) and four deaths were associated with influenza B virus. The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza, overall, during week 3 was 7.5%, which is below epidemic threshold.

The proportion of visits for influenza-like illness during week 3 was 3.6%, which is above the national baseline. Six regions reported influenza-like illnesses above the region-specific baseline level. Nine states reported high influenza-like illness activity. Nine states and New York City experienced low influenza-like illness activity. Twenty-four states experienced minimal influenza-like illness activity. Eight states experienced moderate influenza-like illness activity. The District of Columbia had insufficient data.

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