Influenza rises in US with over 6 million cases so far

WASHINGTON

Influenza is surging throughout the US, with the country’s health authorities recording more than 6 million cases so far this season.

At least 6.2 million influenza cases have been reported so far this season, with 53,000 hospitalizations and 2,900 deaths, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in its weekly update on Monday.

Respiratory illness constitutes 6% of visits to a healthcare provider this week, CDC said, adding that 35 jurisdictions experienced “high or very high activity.”

The CDC added that the cumulative hospitalization rate per 100,000 populations was 11.3.

It urged everyone ages six months and older to get vaccinated saying that “an annual flu vaccine is the best way to protect against flu.”