More people are currently dying from the flu in California than from Covid
The rate of flu-related deaths has shot up to 3.4 percent, compared to its 1.5 percent peak in years prior, the state's latest respiratory virus report found. Whereas, the rate of Covid-related deaths sits at 1.3 percent.
There have been 11 pediatric deaths from influenza and just three from Covid in the state.
The flu has also resulted in more hospitalizations than Covid, with the rate of new flu admissions more than four times the rate of new Covid admissions.
'Influenza activity remains high. RSV activity is low and decreasing. COVID-19 activity is low,' the report said.
'Over the last several weeks, we have seen an increase in flu cases and hospitalizations,' California Department of Public Health Director Dr. Erica Pan said in a statement.
Grant Boyken, a spokesman for the agency, told The Sacramento Bee that the death rate in early February 2024 was only 0.4 percent. He noted that it's normal for the flu's severity to differ each year based on changes in the specific strain circulating along with 'other factors.'
The University of California-Davis Children's Hospital in Sacramento has seen 'five or 10 times more influenza (patients) than COVID (patients)' in 2025 alone,' Dr. Dean Blumberg, the hospital's chief of pediatric infectious diseases, told the paper.
'This is a busy time of year, but we certainly have the capacity (to handle influenza cases),' he noted.
Levels of flu across the country have been the highest for decades, forcing school closures and hospitals to restrict entry. Every one of the lower 48 states has at least 'moderate' levels of influenza, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. California has a 'high' level, while the neighboring Pacific Northwest is 'very high.'
Since October, the agency estimates there have been between 29 and 51 million flu illnesses, between 16,000 and 79,000 deaths and between 370,000 and 820,000 hospitalizations nationwide.
To greatly reduce the risk of contracting the flu, people should get vaccinated.
'As long as flu is circulating in our communities, it's not too late to get your flu vaccine, so we encourage all Californians who have not yet received their flu vaccine to get vaccinated,' Pan said. 'As a parent and a pediatrician, I ensure my family gets flu vaccine every year because I am confident the flu vaccine is safe and can help prevent serious illness like pneumonia and hospitalization.'
Even for those who experience breakthrough cases, the vaccine can still have a benefit.
'People who get influenza despite vaccination ... recover faster,' Blumberg said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
California is seeing spike in tick-borne illness anaplasmosis, experts warn
Ticks carrying a disease called anaplasmosis are spreading quickly throughout California, experts say. The disease is mainly showing up in dogs. Since dogs spend more time outdoors, experts say rising cases in pets could signal that humans may soon be at greater risk. More than half of the state's counties are now considered "high risk," according to the nonprofit group Companion Animal Parasite Council's data. "There's not a lot of awareness in California because most people think it's primarily a disease of the Upper Midwest and Northeast," said Dr. Jane Sykes, a professor of veterinary medicine at UC Davis. The culprit is the same western black-legged tick that spreads Lyme disease. In dogs, anaplasmosis can cause fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, and weight loss. In some cases, dogs may also experience nosebleeds, neck pain, or even seizures. "They kind of look depressed, dull, they don't want to move," Sykes said. "They have a fever, and sometimes they can develop vomiting." Veterinarians say diagnosis can be difficult, especially if owners don't mention that their dogs are often in tick-prone areas, making awareness critical. The good news: the illness can be treated quickly with antibiotics. "It doesn't matter when you give the antibiotics, it just costs more to have your dog in the hospital, not feeling well, going back in and out of veterinary clinics before the right diagnosis is made," Sykes explained. According to the Companion Animal Parasite Council, between 2021 and 2024 the number of dogs testing positive for the illness nearly tripled. More than half of California's counties are now at "high risk," including Yolo, Placer, and El Dorado counties. Veterinarians say the best way to keep dogs safe is year-round tick and flea prevention, as well as examining pets after walks in grassy or wooded areas.
3 hours ago
Leading pediatrician group recommends COVID vaccine for infants, toddlers in contrast with RFK Jr.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said on Tuesday that children ages 6 months to 23 months should receive a COVID-19 vaccine, in contrast with federal health officials. The recommendations are part of the AAP's annual childhood immunization schedule, which includes guidance for COVID, flu and RSV vaccines for those aged 18 and younger. The AAP has been releasing its own recommendations since the 1930s, but in a rare occurrence, the recommendations differ from those put out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The group also recommended Americans age 18 and under receive a COVID vaccine if they are at high risk of severe COVID, live in a long-term care facility or congregate setting, if they have never been vaccinated against COVID or if they live with someone at high risk for severe COVID. It comes after Health and Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in late May that the CDC would no longer recommend the COVID vaccine for healthy children. The CDC, which is under Kennedy's purview, later updated the guidance to a " shared clinical decision making" model -- leaving the decision to vaccinate children to parents alongside advice from a doctor. The prior recommendations were that everyone aged 6 months and older get vaccinated against COVID with the most up-to-date shot. The contrasting vaccine recommendations highlight the growing rift between federal health officials and medical organizations on vaccine policy. "The academy has been making pediatric immunization recommendations since the 1930s, that has not changed," Dr. Susan J. Kressly, president of the AAP, told ABC News. "But what has changed is that this year, we're doing it in the environment of misinformation, which makes it more important than ever that we provide clear and confident guidance, because the majority of American families really depend on us for this guidance." Children between 6 months old and 23 months old are at the highest risk of severe COVID-19, and the vaccine can protect against serious illness, according to the AAP. "We know that this age group, that's the highest risk for severe disease," Kressly said. "And so we want to make sure that those children who are at highest risk and did not live through the pandemic -- they were not exposed to COVID viruses during the pandemic -- we want to make sure that they are protected as best as possible." Although medical organizations may differ in their vaccine recommendations, insurers often rely on the CDC's vaccine panel, known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), recommendations to determine what they will and won't cover. If certain vaccines aren't recommended by the ACIP, it may lead to parents or guardians facing out-of-pocket costs if their children receive the shot. It could also mean the shots aren't covered by the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, a federally funded program that provides no-cost vaccines to eligible children. "We need to work with our like-minded policy makers who understand the importance of keeping VFC vaccines available in every community for those children who depend on them," Kressly said. "At the same time, there are children in this country whose vaccines are paid for through commercial insurance, and we are having continuing conversations with major payers to make sure that those can be vaccines are available as well. Vaccination is part of high-quality preventive care, and we are confident that we can work with the payers to make sure that translated into policy."
Business Insider
4 hours ago
- Business Insider
Pfizer Canada, BioNTech get Health Canada approval for COVID variant vaccine
Pfizer Canada (PFE) and BioNTech (BNTX) announced that Health Canada has authorized the LP.8.1 variant adapted COMIRNATY COVID-19 vaccine for individuals aged 6 months and older. The updated COMIRNATY vaccine targets the Omicron LP.8.1 variant, one of the most recently circulating SARS-CoV-2 lineages. This season's Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will be available in pharmacies across the country in the fall. The public program operates according to the eligibility criteria determined by each province. If an individual meets these criteria, they will be eligible to receive the vaccine for free. Efforts are ongoing in collaboration with private insurers and payers to streamline reimbursement processes within the private sector, for those who do not meet public program requirements. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence.
