According to a new report, the flu has virtually disappeared from the United States.
“The flu has virtually disappeared from the United States, with reports reaching much lower levels than anything seen in decades,” reported the AP on Thursday, adding: “Experts say measures put in place to prevent coronavirus – use mask, social distance and virtual schooling – were a major factor in preventing a ‘twindemia’ of influenza and COVID-19. An effort to vaccinate more people against influenza probably also helped, as well as fewer people traveling, they say. “
“The flu season usually peaks between December and February each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that influenza causes up to 45 million illnesses, up to 810,000 hospitalizations and up to 61,000 deaths each year. But this flu season, there have been only 925 cases of flu in the United States so far, ”reported Johns Hopkins Medicine.
“The flu season normally runs until May, so there is still a chance that flu cases will increase in the coming months. In addition, a strain of influenza – influenza B – tends to circulate later in the season, ”said the organization.
“This year has been incredibly different. Probably not seen before for 100 years, ”said Beth Daly, head of the NH’s Department of Infectious Disease Control. “Typically, there are literally thousands of people who get the flu. In an average winter week, 10% of all people dying are dying of the flu. So this year is very remarkable. “
AP suggests that it is also possible that “the coronavirus has essentially removed the flu and other insects that are more common in autumn and winter”.
Lynnette Brammer, of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, acknowledged, “This is the lowest flu season we’ve had in history.”
The AP noted that only one pediatric influenza death has been reported so far this season, while 92 were reported at the same point last year.
The World Health Organization reported on February 15:
Overall, despite continued or even increased testing for influenza in some countries, influenza activity remained at lower levels than expected for this time of year.
In the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere, influenza activity has remained below the baseline, although sporadic detections of influenza A and B viruses have been reported in some countries.
In the temperate zone of the southern hemisphere, flu activity has been reported on an inter-seasonal level.
In the Caribbean and Central American countries, no detection of influenza has been reported. The activity of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) has increased in some reporting countries.
In tropical South America, there have been no reports of influenza reported in this period.
In tropical Africa, flu activity continued to be reported in West Africa.
In South Asia, sporadic influenza detections have been reported in all reporting countries.
In Southeast Asia, flu detections have been reported in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR).
Worldwide, influenza B detections were responsible for most of the very low numbers of reported detections.
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