CDC: 2,377 new cases of influenza confirmed during influenza season week 5

CDC. FluView Report. Available at: www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/. Accessed Feb. 14, 2011.

During the week of Jan. 30 to Feb. 5, 2,377 of 7,511 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 22,641 since Oct. 3, according to the CDC’s weekly FluView report.

In week 5, influenza A accounted for 77.6% of the influenza cases, and influenza B accounted for 22.4%. Among the influenza A cases, 28.3% of these were subtyped as influenza A (H3) and 28.5% were subtyped as influenza A (2009 H1N1). The remaining cases were not subtyped.

There were 11 influenza-associated pediatric deaths reported during week 5. Thirty total pediatric deaths have been reported during the 2010-2011 season: Six deaths were associated with a non-subtyped influenza A virus, nine deaths were associated with influenza A (H3), three were associated with a 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus and 12 deaths were associated with influenza B virus. The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza overall during week 5 was 8% and at epidemic threshold.

The proportion of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness during week 5 was 4.6%, which is above the national baseline. Nine of 10 regions reported influenza-like illnesses at or above the region-specific baseline level. Nineteen states reported high influenza-like illness activity. Ten states and New York City experienced low influenza-like illness activity. Twelve states experienced minimal influenza-like illness activity. Nine states experienced moderate influenza-like illness activity. The District of Columbia had insufficient data.