About 6 million to 7 million people in the United States have come down with the illness so far, with half of them sick enough to have seen doctors, according to estimates released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some 69,000 to 84,000 ended up in the hospital during the period from Oct. 1 through Jan. 5.
“Flu activity is widespread in many states,” Dr. Alicia Fry, from the CDC’s influenza division, said in an interview. “We expect several more weeks of flu season.”
The number of deaths from flu this season has not yet been determined. But Fry said the flu was widespread in 30 states, especially in the Southeast, and is moving northward. And the number of hospitalizations so far this season “is a reminder that flu can cause severe illness,” she added.
The very young, the very old, pregnant women and people with underlying health problems have the highest risk of becoming seriously ill and needing hospitalization for the flu, according to the CDC.
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“It’s really not too late to get vaccinated,” Fry said.
The vaccine needs about two weeks to take effect, she said, but is still worth getting because the flu season is expected to drag on longer than that.
“People who are very sick or who are at high risk of serious flu complications and get flu symptoms should see a health care provider quickly for possible treatment with a flu antiviral drug,” the CDC said in a statement.
Although influenza has already caused deaths this season, the figure has not been released because there is not enough information yet to make a reliable estimate. Nor is it possible to determine yet how this flu season compares to others, as this is the first time that the CDC has provided flu estimates while the season is still underway.
Fry said her team had decided to gather and report the numbers early because they realized that people found the data useful. From now on, updated totals will be published every Friday.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.