The percentage of visits to an outpatient provider for flu-like illness remained at 1.6 percent for a third consecutive week, according to the CDC's FluView report for the week ending Dec. 5.
This figure remains below the national baseline of 2.6 percent, though the CDC said data is likely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and should be interpreted with caution.
Four more updates:
1. The first pediatric flu death of the 2020-21 flu season was reported during the week ending Dec. 5. The death was associated with influenza B and occurred the week ending Nov. 28.
2. The national flu and pneumonia mortality rate is 14.3 percent, which sits above the epidemic threshold of 6.5 percent. The majority of these deaths are attributed to COVID-19.
3. No states reported very high, high or moderate flu activity for the week ending Dec. 5. Four states — Arizona, Connecticut, New Mexico and Pennsylvania — reported low flu activity, while the rest of the country is reporting minimal activity. Washington, D.C., was excluded because of insufficient data.
4. The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for the flu at clinical laboratories was 0.2 percent for the week ending Dec. 5, the same as the week prior.
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