Latest news with #JeffMeador
The Hill
12-02-2025
- Health
- The Hill
Flu activity now highest in 15 years: See which states have it worst
(NEXSTAR) – Influenza cases continue to mount with the virus reaching activity levels in the U.S. not seen for the last 15 years, according to the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention. One indicator of flu activity is the percentage of doctor's office visits driven by flu-like symptoms. Last week, that number was clearly higher than the peak of any winter flu season since 2009-2010, when a swine flu pandemic hit the nation, according to data posted Friday morning by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of course, other viral infections can be mistaken for flu. But COVID-19 appears to be on the decline, according to hospital data and to CDC modeling projections. Available data also suggests another respiratory illness, RSV, has been fading nationally. The flu has forced schools to shut down in some states. The Godley Independent School District, a 3,200-student system near Fort Worth, Texas, last week closed for three days after 650 students and 60 staff were out Tuesday. Jeff Meador, a district spokesman, said the vast majority of illnesses there have been flu, plus some strep throat. He called it the worst flu season he could remember. 'I always like to reiterate that if you have the flu, stay home from work or school and isolate yourself from your family as much as possible until fever free for 24 hours (without fever reducing medications) and your symptoms are starting to improve,' Cleveland Clinic Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Donald Dumford told Nexstar. 'Even then, I'm a proponent of masking for the next several days after you are out of isolation.' So far this season, the CDC estimates, there have been at least 24 million flu illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations and 13,000 deaths — including at least 57 children. Traditionally, flu season peaks around February. Overall, 43 states reported high or very high flu activity last week. Flu was most intense in the South, Southwest and western states. Cleveland Clinic doctors recommend doing the following to help prevent the spread of flu: Proper handwashing. Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Avoiding people who are sick. Wearing masks in situations when you can't avoid people who are sick, such as caring for a sick child.
CNN
11-02-2025
- Health
- CNN
Flu season in the US is the most intense it's been in at least 15 years
The U.S. winter virus season is in full force, and by one measure is the most intense in 15 years. One indicator of flu activity is the percentage of doctor's office visits driven by flu-like symptoms. Last week, that number was clearly higher than the peak of any winter flu season since 2009-2010, when a swine flu pandemic hit the nation, according to data posted Friday morning by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of course, other viral infections can be mistaken for flu. But COVID-19 appears to be on the decline, according to hospital data and to CDC modeling projections. Available data also suggests another respiratory illness, RSV, has been fading nationally. The flu has forced schools to shut down in some states. The Godley Independent School District, a 3,200-student system near Fort Worth, Texas, last week closed for three days after 650 students and 60 staff were out Tuesday. Jeff Meador, a district spokesman, said the vast majority of illnesses there have been flu, plus some strep throat. He called it the worst flu season he could remember. So far this season, the CDC estimates, there have been at least 24 million flu illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations and 13,000 deaths — including at least 57 children. Traditionally, flu season peaks around February. Overall, 43 states reported high or very high flu activity last week. Flu was most intense in the South, Southwest and western states. In Rochester, New York, the flu season has been intense but not necessarily worse than at the peak of other years, said Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatric emergency medicine doctor at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She said there's a lot of flu, but there's also still a lot of RSV and a surprising number of babies with COVID-19. 'All of the respiratory illnesses are around, with a vengeance,' Murray added. The CDC declined to let an Associated Press reporter speak to an agency flu expert about recent trends. The Trump administration ordered a temporary 'pause' on health agency communications and has continued to refuse interview requests that were routinely granted in the past. Late Friday afternoon, a CDC spokesperson acknowledged that the new data shows 'the highest absolute value' of flu-like illness when compared with other seasons, but added that the statistic is complicated: That value references a baseline estimate for doctor's office visits, but the baseline is recalculated every year. In late January, the CDC was describing the season as 'moderate' in severity. U.S. health officials recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccination. Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team. About 44% of adults got flu shots this winter, the same as last winter. But coverage of children is way down, at about 45% this winter. It's usually around 50%, according to CDC data. About 23% of U.S. adults were up to date in their COVID-19 vaccinations as of late January, up from about 20% at the same point in time the year before. COVID-19 vaccination rates for kids were about the same, at around 12%. The government has not yet reported its estimates of how well this season's flu vaccine is working. Testing results from patients indicate that two strains of seasonal flu that are causing most illnesses — a Type A H1N1 and a Type A H3N2. Health officials are closely watching a third strain — a bird flu known as Type A H5N1 — that has sickened tens of millions of animals, but is known to have infected only 67 people in the U.S. To avoid seasonal viruses, doctors say you should avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth because germs can spread that way. You should also wash your hands with soap and water, clean frequently touched surfaces and avoid close contact with people who are sick.
CNN
11-02-2025
- Health
- CNN
Flu season in the US is the most intense it's been in at least 15 years
The U.S. winter virus season is in full force, and by one measure is the most intense in 15 years. One indicator of flu activity is the percentage of doctor's office visits driven by flu-like symptoms. Last week, that number was clearly higher than the peak of any winter flu season since 2009-2010, when a swine flu pandemic hit the nation, according to data posted Friday morning by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Of course, other viral infections can be mistaken for flu. But COVID-19 appears to be on the decline, according to hospital data and to CDC modeling projections. Available data also suggests another respiratory illness, RSV, has been fading nationally. The flu has forced schools to shut down in some states. The Godley Independent School District, a 3,200-student system near Fort Worth, Texas, last week closed for three days after 650 students and 60 staff were out Tuesday. Jeff Meador, a district spokesman, said the vast majority of illnesses there have been flu, plus some strep throat. He called it the worst flu season he could remember. So far this season, the CDC estimates, there have been at least 24 million flu illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations and 13,000 deaths — including at least 57 children. Traditionally, flu season peaks around February. Overall, 43 states reported high or very high flu activity last week. Flu was most intense in the South, Southwest and western states. In Rochester, New York, the flu season has been intense but not necessarily worse than at the peak of other years, said Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatric emergency medicine doctor at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She said there's a lot of flu, but there's also still a lot of RSV and a surprising number of babies with COVID-19. 'All of the respiratory illnesses are around, with a vengeance,' Murray added. The CDC declined to let an Associated Press reporter speak to an agency flu expert about recent trends. The Trump administration ordered a temporary 'pause' on health agency communications and has continued to refuse interview requests that were routinely granted in the past. Late Friday afternoon, a CDC spokesperson acknowledged that the new data shows 'the highest absolute value' of flu-like illness when compared with other seasons, but added that the statistic is complicated: That value references a baseline estimate for doctor's office visits, but the baseline is recalculated every year. In late January, the CDC was describing the season as 'moderate' in severity. U.S. health officials recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccination. Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team. About 44% of adults got flu shots this winter, the same as last winter. But coverage of children is way down, at about 45% this winter. It's usually around 50%, according to CDC data. About 23% of U.S. adults were up to date in their COVID-19 vaccinations as of late January, up from about 20% at the same point in time the year before. COVID-19 vaccination rates for kids were about the same, at around 12%. The government has not yet reported its estimates of how well this season's flu vaccine is working. Testing results from patients indicate that two strains of seasonal flu that are causing most illnesses — a Type A H1N1 and a Type A H3N2. Health officials are closely watching a third strain — a bird flu known as Type A H5N1 — that has sickened tens of millions of animals, but is known to have infected only 67 people in the U.S. To avoid seasonal viruses, doctors say you should avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth because germs can spread that way. You should also wash your hands with soap and water, clean frequently touched surfaces and avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
US seasonal flu cases skyrocket to highest level in at least 15 years: CDC
Newly released data shows the current U.S. flu season is shattering recent records, topping numbers dating to the early 2000s, when swine flu plagued the country. Numbers released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday morning showed nearly 50,000 people were admitted to hospitals with influenza, and 10 children died of seasonal flu during the fifth week of the year. Bird Flu Uptick In Us Has Cdc On Alert For Pandemic 'Red Flags': Report The CDC estimates there have been at least 24 million illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations and 13,000 deaths from the flu so far this season, which started Oct. 1. Nearly 60 of those who died were children. Although COVID-19 and RSV cases appear to be falling nationally, the flu, which typically peaks in February, has forced schools to temporarily close in some states, according to The Associated Press. Read On The Fox News App The Godley Independent School District, which serves 3,200 Texas students, closed for multiple days last week after nearly 700 students and staff were absent on a single day, the AP reported. School district spokesperson Jeff Meador said it has been the worst flu season he remembers. Of the 50 states, 43 reported high or very high flu activity in the fifth week of 2025, according to CDC data. At Home 'Medicine Ball' Tea, Soothing And Warm, Could Help Kick A Cold The most activity was detected in Texas, New Mexico, Nebraska, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, South Carolina, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New York City, according to a CDC map. While health officials recommend the annual flu shot to those older than 6 months, only about 44% of adults got flu shots this winter, the AP reported. Children's vaccinations dropped from 50% to 45%. It is unclear how successful this year's flu vaccine will be. Fox News Digital recently reported the CDC is closely monitoring reports of a spike in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter HMPV, which was discovered in 2001, remains at pre-pandemic levels and presents the same as the common cold, according to the article source: US seasonal flu cases skyrocket to highest level in at least 15 years: CDC
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The US is experiencing its most intense flu season since 2009
The U.S. is experiencing its most intense flu season in 15 years, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency reported Friday that 7.8 percent of visits for respiratory illness to outpatient providers reported this week were people with influenza, the worst since 2009 to 2010. It also reported 10 additional influenza-associated pediatric deaths, making a total of 57 this season. So far, there have been at least 13,000 deaths, 310,000 hospitalizations, and 24 million flu illnesses. Across the country, many states have high to very high levels of influenza, a weekly CDC map showed. The most affected states were in the South, Midwest, and Northeast regions. Jeff Meador, a spokesman for Texas' Godley Independent School District, told The Associated Press this week that this is the worst flu season he could remember. The flu has forced the district to close, with 650 students and 60 staff were out sick on Tuesday. Schools have closed in at least 10 states, according to In Illinois, health authorities reported to WSIL that while Covid and RSV are declining, flu cases are rising. The Pope County School District closed late last month. 'We had over 40 percent of all of our students out. And then we also had about 24 staff members out that day, too. And that's anything from custodians to teachers to individual aides, classroom aides,' Superintendent Ryan Fritch told the station. The second surge amid waves of norovirus and other viral infections have stressed hospitals, with some implementing restrictive measures and asking people to wear masks. Health officials recommend that everyone six months and older receive an annual flu shot. About the same amount of adults got their flu vaccinations this winter as they did last year. But numbers for children were about five percent lower than typical, which is usually about 50 percent. The government has yet to report its estimates of how well this season's flu vaccine is working. 'What worries us the most are bacterial infections that can follow alongside influenza [and] get kids super, super sick. ... Flu itself and those complications can lead to death in children. ... Influenza is very scary,' Dr. Jason Newland, the division chief of infectious diseases at Nationwide Children's Hospital, told With reporting from The Associated Press
