Another eight US children were confirmed to have died of influenza infections last week, for a total of 79 this respiratory virus season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in its weekly FluView update today.
The 2024-25 flu season saw a total of 289 child deaths—the most reported in a non-pandemic flu season since the CDC began tracking pediatric flu deaths in 2004. Of the 79 children who died of influenza this season and had known vaccination status, roughly 90% occurred in those who were unvaccinated.
Flu activity remains moderate (11 jurisdictions) to high or very high (25) across the nation, although indicators are stable or trending downward. Only a few eastern states are reporting likely growing case numbers. Health care visits are holding steady for the sixth week in a row, at 4.4%, while clinical lab positivity is at 17.9%, down from 19.8% the week before.
Influenza A continues to dominate, although it is steadily losing ground to influenza B. Of the 1,354 influenza A(H3N2) viruses that underwent additional genetic characterization, 92.4% have belonged to subclade K, which has mutations that allow it to evade immunity from this season’s flu vaccine formula.
Weekly flu hospitalizations declined slightly, from 14,940 the week before to 13,785. The cumulative flu-related hospitalization rate (73.3 per 100,000 people) is the third highest since the 2010-11 season. Children have the second-highest cumulative hospitalization rate for that age-group since that same season.
So far this season, the CDC has recorded at least 25 million flu-related illnesses, 330,000 hospitalizations, and 20,000 deaths. Flu-related deaths made up 0.8% of all deaths this week.
RSV most severe in infants, preschoolers
In other respiratory virus news, the amount of acute illness causing people to seek health care is moderate. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity, including emergency department visits and hospitalizations among infants and preschoolers, remains high in many areas of the country. RSV test positivity is at 8.6%, and related deaths made up 0.1% of all deaths.
COVID-19 levels are decreasing overall but growing or likely growing in some eastern and southern states, with 4.3% overall test positivity. COVID-19 deaths made up 0.5% of all deaths.
WastewaterSCAN reported high levels of SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and B, RSV, and human metapneumovirus in wastewater last week.
