Hospitalizations from this season’s ‘super flu’ are surging, especially in older Americans and children, new data shows.
The latest CDC data, which runs through January 3, shows the weekly rate of hospitalizations, largely driven by H3N2 subclade K or the ‘super flu’ strain, is up 53 percent from the week before. Overall hospitalizations for the season are also up 37 percent compared to the week before.
This adds up to nearly 40,000 Americans being admitted to the hospital for the flu in one week, up from 33,000 the week prior.
The increase has largely affected Americans over 50. Compared to the start of this year’s flu season in October, hospitalizations for people over 50 has surged 157 percent.
And compared to late December, just ahead of the holidays, outpatient visits in this group went up 51 percent.
Older adults in retirement homes and other long-term care facilities are also increasingly being hospitalized, with rates increasing 53 percent in the last week.
Young children, who are particularly vulnerable to the flu due to having underdeveloped immune systems, still made up the largest share of flu-related outpatient visits at nearly 20 percent, though doctor visits among this age group are on the decline.
Flu-related deaths overall have increased 70 percent in the last week from 0.9 percent to 1.9 percent.
Isaias Castillo IV, a two-year-old from New Jersey, died on January 6 from ‘complications from the flu,’ his family announced on Facebook and GoFundMe. He is pictured above
The new data also shows pediatric flu-related deaths are up, with eight reported during the week of January 3, adding up to 17 total for the season.
They include two-year-old Isaias Castillo IV from New Jersey, who died on January 6 from ‘complications from the flu,’ his family wrote on a GoFundMe page.
The New Jersey Department of Health did not publicly identify Castillo but announced the death on January 9. Castillo’s family identified him on Facebook and GoFundMe.
Acting New Jersey Health Commissioner Jeff Brown said in a statement: ‘This flu season is already shaping up to be a very serious one, with more cases than previous years and, tragically, one child’s death this week. We extend our deepest condolences to the child’s family.
‘By getting vaccinated, we can each do our part in reducing the spread of flu and other respiratory viruses in New Jersey and helping prevent serious complications.’
The New Jersey officials’ warning comes after Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr announced a major overhaul to the nation’s childhood vaccine schedule.
Under the new guidance, the US will no longer recommend all children get annual flu vaccines, which are the best known measure of preventing the illness. The shot is typically between 30 to 75 percent effective.
As of mid December, 42 percent of American adults have received this season’s flu shot, which is in line with last year’s figures.
The above chart shows the increase in influenza-related hospitalizations in people in long-term care settings
According to the latest data, weekly hospitalizations have increased from 31.3 per 100,000 people to 54.1 per 100,000, a 53 percent jump.
Cumulative hospitalizations, which measures the rate for the season, are also up from 28.1 to 40.6, a 37 percent increase.
However, test positivity is starting to decline after several weeks of surges. During the week of January 3, one in four tests came back positive compared to one in three the week before.
The number of states reporting ‘very high’ influenza activity has also decreased from 34 the week of December 27 to 27 the week of January 3.
Areas with the CDC’s highest activity level, level 13, include: New York state, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico and Colorado.
This year’s dominant flu strain is brand new to people’s immune systems, making them highly vulnerable and at an increased risk of severe, hospitalizing illness.
Pictured above is Sarah Lopez, 2, who was hospitalized and had to be placed on a feeding tube and ventilator after she caught the flu
While symptoms are the same as other flu strains, experts warn the ‘super flu’ variant is leading to more severe illness, especially in children, with signs including week-long fevers and a cough that leads to trouble breathing.
In one case, two-year-old Sarah Lopez from north Georgia has been hospitalized for weeks after she was infected with the flu.
Her mother Kenia, told WSB-TV 2: ‘When I would say come here, she wouldn’t do it either. She would just throw her upper torso.
‘Overnight, everything got worse. She couldn’t sit up on her own, she couldn’t talk, she couldn’t move pretty much anything, just her head a little bit.’
Lopez was hospitalized with the flu, but then developed transverse myelitis, a rare condition where a patient suffers from inflammation in part of the spinal cord. Symptoms include back pain, difficulty moving and temporary paralysis.
At the hospital, doctors put her on a ventilator to help her breathe and a feeding tube to give her nutrients.
Speaking last week, her mother said that Lopez has now recuperated some strength and movement in her legs, but still struggles to stand up. She has been taken off the ventilator, and the hospital is now considering transferring her to a rehabilitation unit.
Dr Neal Shipley, medical director of Northwell Health-GoHealth Urgent Care, previously told Daily Mail it is important to recognize the symptoms that ring alarm bells so you know when to seek expert help.
‘If your symptoms worsen quickly, or you have trouble breathing, weakness, dehydration or symptoms that don’t improve after a few days, you should find your nearest urgent care,’ he said.
