Five things to know:
1. Flu activity increased slightly from 1.2 percent to 1.3 percent of outpatient visits for the week ending Oct. 31.
2. No pediatric flu deaths have been reported for the 2020-21 flu season, though one for the 2019-20 season was reported this week, bringing last season’s total to 195 pediatric deaths.
3. The national flu and pneumonia mortality rate is 8.1 percent, which sits above the epidemic threshold of 6 percent. These deaths are attributed to pneumonia, the flu or COVID-19.
4. The percentage of respiratory specimens testing positive for the flu at clinical laboratories was 0.1 percent for the week ending Oct. 31.
5. Since Sept. 27, 53.4 percent of confirmed positive flu cases were influenza A, while 46.6 percent were specimen type influenza B.
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US shatters daily COVID-19 case record again; some patients smell phantom scents — 6 updates
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