Official data showed that the flu season in the United States carries risks that may require hospitalization for the infected and could be the most severe in the past 13 years.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this year indicates that cases of people with influenza have exceeded 880,000 cases, while more than 6,900 patients have required hospitalization and complications from the disease have resulted in the deaths of 360 cases, including a child, according to what was posted on the page. “Washington Post”.
The paper quoted Lynette Brammer, who heads the influenza monitoring team at the center, as “unusual”, adding, “The Corona pandemic has affected influenza and other circulating respiratory viruses.”“.
Experts and health officials said the flu has not been a serious problem for the past two years, due to the use of masks, social distancing and other measures people have taken to protect themselves from Covid-19..
“The data is disturbing, as this year the flu is not only early, it looks very serious,” said William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University.“.
“This makes the concern doubly double,” he added. “The heavy burden of flu appears to be the start of what could be the worst flu season in 13 years.”“.
The report shows that what increases the concern of health authorities is that the number of people who received flu vaccines in the United States this year did not exceed 128 million, up from 139 million last year and 154 the year before. , according to the health center.
On 19 September, the World Health Organization announced the maintenance of the maximum level of preparedness in the face of the Covid-19 crisis.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization has reported over 622 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 6.5 million deaths. These numbers are underestimated, according to an AFP report“.
