This yr’s late flu season has turned out to be the deadliest in current reminiscence. Now, as check positivity charges have lastly come down, and weekly deaths are beginning to sluggish, the general loss of life toll is rising.
At the very least 1,504 folks died from problems of the flu by the thirteenth week of this yr, the week ending Mar. 29, based on the latest weekly respiratory virus report from the California Division of Public Well being.
RELATED: As temperature information shattered, Santa Clara County noticed large improve in warmth deaths final yr
Tragically, 22 of these deaths had been kids, extra pediatric flu deaths than in any of the earlier six respiratory virus seasons. Surveillance of pediatric flu deaths didn’t start till 2003, however since then, the deadliest flu season for youngsters was 2008-2009, when 37 kids reportedly died within the state.
Since 2000, the deadliest flu season nationally was in 2017-18, when an estimated 52,000 deaths across the nation had been attributed to the influenza virus, based on information from the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.
The CDC estimates that this season there have been 25,000 flu deaths nationally, and the deaths of 168 kids have been reported.
Flu season usually runs from the autumn by way of the winter, and usually peaks a while between December and February. This yr, the virus began to peak in December, however positivity charges continued to rise and remained excessive by way of February, staying increased for longer than in different current seasons.
When the coronavirus pandemic began, and social distancing precautions got here with it, flu was additionally suppressed. Flu deaths had been at document lows within the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons, however since then, flu has returned as a menace, particularly to the state’s aged residents.
Some consultants level to record-low vaccination charges as a contributing issue to the excessive loss of life toll this yr.
