Indiana Upgraded to Level 4-of-5 Category for Flu Activity

(UNDATED) – Indiana is now included in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s level 4-of-5 “Regional” category in flu activity. 

According to this week’s FluView report, seasonal influenza activity in the United States is increasing.

The influenza activity reported by state and territorial epidemiologists indicates the geographic spread of influenza viruses as of the week ending Nov. 9th but does not measure the severity of influenza activity.

During week 45 the following influenza activity was reported:

  • Widespread – three states (California, Louisiana, and Maryland)
  • Regional – seven states (Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Tennessee and Texas)
  • Local – Puerto Rico and 20 states (Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington)
  • Sporadic – the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and 19 states (Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming)
  • No Activity – one state (Rhode Island)
  • Guam did not report.

To see the map click here.

The number of influenza-associated deaths this season is listed at 3 in Indiana.

Thousands lose their lives battling the flu every year. In the past two flu seasons alone, more than 140,000 Americans died from the illness. With the 2019-2020 flu season getting started, local health officials are trying to prepare the population, primarily by stressing the importance of vaccinations.

CDC says several states have seen their flu activity levels rise rather quickly over the last couple of weeks including Indiana.

You should always adhere to flu safety precautions regardless of where you are. 

This graph shows how the current flu season is off to the second-worst start of the last seven years.

Flu activity compared to past years – the CDC says put simply, it’s pretty bad. 

The graph above shows how the current flu season is off to the second-worst start of the last seven years.

The country’s deadliest flu season in four decades came in 2017-2018 when nearly 1 million people were hospitalized and 79,400 died. That year, 336 Hoosiers succumbed to the flu.

Though the 2018-2019 season was not as deadly, with 61,200 national deaths and 113 in Indiana, it was the longest in a decade, stretching 21 weeks.

Only the 2009-2010 flu season was worse in terms of outpatients complaining of influenza-like illness. 

Those 65 years old and up and young children are the most at-risk populations in getting the flu.