US flu is now an epidemic

Main Category: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS
Article Date: 02 Jan 2004 - 0:00 PDT

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Federal health officials in the USA say that deaths due to pneumonia and influenza are now at epidemic levels. The flu that has hit the USA hard this year is now widespread in almost every state.

Pneumonia and influenza are currently accounting for over 7% of all reported deaths. The Center for Disease Control calls this the 'epidemic threshold'.

This year's flu started two months earlier than usual and has so far killed over 42 children (in the US). The number of adult deaths is unknown.

Approximately 36,000 Americans die of influenza each year (114,000 are hospitalised). About 92 kids under the age of 5 die each year from flu.

The CDC also added that in some states the flu epidemic may have peaked.

Usually, a flu season spans from October till April (peaking in the middle of winter).

The problem this year was the flu hit hard early in October, before many people had had their flu jabs (shots, vaccines). The sudden rush brought on a shortage of flu vaccines.

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