https://goo.gl/soT5Hb
Flu deaths surpassed the epidemic threshold at the end of December, with pediatric flu-related deaths also up, according to data from the CDC.
The CDC's weekly FluView surveillance report found that pneumonia- and influenza-related mortality comprised 8.2% of all deaths in the last week of December. This was above the epidemic threshold of 7.1%.
Outpatient influenza-like illnesses were up, and continued to spread across the country. Data from this week indicates that 6.3% of reported patient visits were due to influenza-like illness (up from 5.8% a week ago). Thirty-two states now reported experiencing high influenza-like illness activity versus 26 states a week prior, and influenza remains widespread in 49 states -- Hawaii being the lone exception.