Iran Press/ America: CDC Director Rochelle Walensky has said that US hospital systems also continue to be stressed with a high number of patients with other respiratory illnesses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19.
There have been at least 8.7 million illnesses, 78,000 hospitalizations, and 4,500 deaths from flu so far this season, according to CDC estimates. It urged people to get vaccinated.
"Especially for RSV and flu, these levels are higher than we generally see this time of year," Walensky told reporters in a telephone news briefing. She said flu season started earlier and "hospitalizations for flu continue to be the highest we have seen at this time of year in a decade."
Respiratory viruses are spreading as people gather indoors due to the colder weather. People also likely have weakened defenses after not being exposed to flu and RSV while working or schooling from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vaccination rates for people at higher risk from the flu - those 65 and older, children, and pregnant women - are also lower than at this time last year, Walensky added.
Between Oct. 1 and Nov. 26, the rate of hospitalization for flu in the United States was 16.6 per 100,000 people. In the past 10 years, the cumulative rate during the same week of the year typically range from 0.1 to 2 per 100,000.
COVID-19 cases have risen following the Thanksgiving holiday and COVID-related hospitalizations have also increased about 15% to 20% over the last week, Walensky said.
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