The US is facing the worst flu season in 15 years causing more severe complications and straining physicians’ offices and emergency departments. Of particular concern is the number of pediatric cases. Veuer’s Chloe Hurst has the story!
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00:00The U.S. is facing the worst flu season in 15 years, causing more severe complications
00:05and straining physicians' offices and emergency departments.
00:09Harold Maclay, president of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control
00:13and Epidemiology, explains,
00:16The two predominant strains that are circulating right now are known to be more severe and have
00:20more severe outcomes, especially in high-risk patients.
00:24Axios reiterates the high-severity season,
00:27confirming the number of flu cases around 29 million.
00:32It's really clogging up our ERs and our outpatient facilities,
00:36and for the first time we've seen cases of influenza that have surpassed COVID-19
00:40in hospitalizations and deaths since the COVID pandemic began.
00:44According to the CDC, as of February 8, there have been at least 370,000 hospitalizations.
00:51Of particular concern is the number of pediatric cases.
00:55The site reports 68 flu deaths in kids,
00:58a number on track to exceed a record 200 pediatric flu deaths from last year.