Flu season hits peak in Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Flu season has hit its peak in Missouri with 8,646 total cases in week eight (Feb. 18-24) of the state's weekly Influenza report by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
A reported by the Centers of Disease Control, flu season happens during the fall and winter. However, influenza viruses spread year-round and most of the time flu activity hit its peaks between December and February.
The overall health impacts from the flu such as infections, hospitalizations and deaths often varies from season to season.
According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the overall flu activity in the state is high, but has not reached its highest point. In comparison, to the activity that was reported during the 2022-2023 flu season was 18,320.
In week nine (Feb. 25-March 2) there was a slight decrease in influenza cases, there was 3,089 Class A cases, 3,482 Class B and seven untyped cases, resulting in a total of 6,578. According to the CDC, influenza A and B viruses typically arrives only during flu season.
Class A is more common in adults and Class B is common in children, both classes has the potential to be serious.
The report states that influenza-like illnesses have decreased, but emergency visits due to influenza-like illness is above its usual threshold. During the season's highest peak in week eight 447 Missourians were admitted into the hospital with influenza-like illnesses. There was 426 hospitalized Missourians in week nine.
In a national weekly influenza surveillance report published by the CDC, there have been elevated seasonal flu levels throughout the country. In the mist of this flu season, hospitalization and its rates have been recorded as the third highest since the 2010-11 season with 15,743 since Oct. 1, 2023.
As of week nine in Missouri there are a total of 70,210 cases of the flu with 87 reported deaths.
