Influenza Overtakes Covid as the Most Lethal Respiratory Illness in the US
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Synopsis
As of February 2024, influenza has surpassed Covid-19 as the leading cause of respiratory illnesses in California, with hospitals overwhelmed by rising flu cases and low vaccination rates. Experts warn of severe complications and urge vaccination to mitigate risks.
Key Takeaways
- Flu now deadliest respiratory illness in California.
- Low vaccination rates contributing to the surge.
- Hospitals experiencing high patient volumes.
- Concerns over serious complications like ANE.
- Public health officials recommend vaccination.
New York, Feb 19 (NationPress) For the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began, influenza has now overtaken Covid as the deadliest respiratory illness in California, USA. This alarming trend has resulted in hospitals facing an overwhelming influx of patients amidst a significant rise in flu cases.
This increase in flu occurrences coincides with abysmally low vaccination rates, with merely 44 percent of adults and 46 percent of children receiving flu shots this season, as reported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to Xinhua news agency.
Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert at the University of California, San Francisco, stated, “Our hospital is full to the brim.” He further noted that “Influenza seems to be everywhere.” In local clinics throughout the Bay Area, over 70 percent of respiratory virus tests are now returning positive for influenza, surpassing cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Covid-19, and the common cold.
As of February 1, flu test positivity rates soared to 27.8 percent, while RSV cases declined to 5 percent and Covid remained at 2.4 percent, according to the California Department of Public Health.
Since July 1, California has recorded at least 561 flu-related fatalities, predominantly among individuals aged over 65. Additionally, there have been 10 pediatric flu deaths this season, in contrast to just three pediatric deaths associated with Covid during the same timeframe.
On a national scale, the CDC estimates that there have been at least 29 million flu cases, 370,000 hospitalizations, and 16,000 deaths during the 2024-25 flu season as of February 8. Medical experts are particularly alarmed by the concurrent circulation of two influenza A strains—H1N1 and H3N2—present in nearly equal proportions, an unusual pattern that escalates the risk of sequential infections.
The surge in severe flu cases has resulted in complications that are rarely observed in such high numbers, including acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE), a serious brain condition, especially among children, with a fatality rate of approximately 50 percent.
Healthcare workers in California describe scenes reminiscent of the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Critical care nurses report that ICUs are filled with flu patients suffering from pneumonia and respiratory failure.
John Lynch, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Washington Medicine, informed CNN of a concerning trend of MRSA pneumonia following flu infections, which can lead to permanent lung damage.
MRSA is a strain of bacteria resistant to numerous antibiotics. Public health officials emphasize that it is not too late to receive the vaccine, although it takes about two weeks for it to offer full protection.
While the vaccine may not thwart all infections, it significantly diminishes the risk of severe illness and hospitalization.
Experts anticipate high flu activity for at least another month to six weeks, with the potential for an additional wave of influenza B cases in the spring, underscoring the ongoing necessity for preventive measures and vaccination.
