[Craig]

THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL IS REPORTING THAT THIRTEEN STATES HAVE HIGH OR VERY HIGH LEVELS OF FLU-LIKE ILLNESSES NOW CIRCULATING. THAT’S TWICE AS MUCH, AS THE WEEK BEFORE.
ACCORDING TO THE C-D-C’S **FLU VIEW” PAGE, SEASONAL INFLUENZA ACTIVITY CONTINUES TO INCREASE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, JUST AS MANY AMERICANS ARE GETTING SET TO GATHER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
THE NUMBERS SHOW A 9% INCREASE IN PEOPLE WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE FLU. THE MAIN VIRUS STRAINS ARE : H1N1 AND H3N2.
AMONG THE AREAS IN THE “HIGH” TO “VERY HIGH” CATEGORY INCLUDE : NEW YORK CITY, WASHINGTON D-C, GEORGIA, KANSAS ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, OREGON AND NEVADA.
TWO PEDIATRIC DEATHS, ASSOCIATED WITH THE SEASONAL FLU WERE REPORTED IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO FOUR CHILDREN DEATHS FOR THIS SEASON. OVERALL, THE CDC ESTIMATES JUST UNDER 2 MILLION ILLNESSES, 970 DEATHS AND 23,000 HOSPITALIZATIONS, SO FAR, FOR THE 2024-25 FLU SEASON.
THE CDC RECOMMENDS THAT EVERYONE, 6 MONTHS AND OLDER, GET A FLU SHOT. IF YOU DO COME DOWN WITH THE FLU THERE ARE PRESCRIPTION ANTI-VIRAL DRUGS THAT EXPERTS SAY, SHOULD BE TAKEN AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A HIGH RISK PATIENT. FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP