Hospitals reported 6,100 lab-confirmed flu admissions in the week ending Oct. 24, up 27% from 4,811 the week before, according to the CDC’s latest FluView report.
The CDC said seasonal flu activity remains low nationally but is increasing in many parts of the country and is higher than typically observed at this time of year. The CDC said an earlier increase does not necessarily lead to a higher seasonal peak or greater overall severity. Last week, the estimated hospitalization rate hit its highest mid-October level since 2010.
Here are seven things to know:
- Hospitalizations: The admission rate of 1.8 per 100,000 people increased compared with Week 41. Adults 65 and older had the highest admission rate at 5.8 per 100,000, followed by children 4 and younger at 1.8 and adults ages 50 to 64 at 1.6. The CDC’s FluSurv-NET estimates the Week 42 rate likely falls between 1.9 and 2.5 per 100,000 after accounting for reporting delays, the highest Week 42 rate since the 2010-11 season.
- Lab-confirmed flu: Clinical labs reported 4,061 positive specimens, or 7.6% of those tested, up from 5.7% the prior week. Positivity increased nationally and in HHS Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. H1N1 accounted for 98.9% of the influenza A viruses subtyped by public health labs.
- Emergency department visits: Flu diagnoses accounted for 1.2% of emergency department visits, an increase from the previous week. The share rose among patients ages 0 to 4, 5 to 17 and 18 to 64 and held steady among those 65 and older. That is up from 0.9% in Week 41, according to the CDC’s emergency department visit tracker.
- Outpatient visits: Flu-like illness accounted for 2.4% of outpatient visits, an increase from Week 41 but below the national baseline of 2.9%. Region 10 rose above its baseline. One jurisdiction reached high activity, up from none the week before, and the number of metro areas at high activity rose to nine from one, according to the CDC’s activity map.
- Pediatric deaths: The CDC received the first report of a pediatric flu death this season. The death occurred during the week ending Oct. 10 and was associated with an H1N1 virus. Another death reported this week occurred last season, bringing the 2025-26 pediatric death total to 199.
- Season burden and forecast: The CDC estimates there have been at least 1 million illnesses, 16,000 hospitalizations and 900 deaths from flu so far this season. Its FluSight forecasts predict weekly admissions will range from 4,800 to 23,200 for the week ending Nov. 14, with flu accounting for 1% to 4.4% of emergency department visits.
- Virus diversity and vaccines: The CDC said circulating H1N1 viruses have split into distinct groups and show more genetic diversity than it has seen before. It is too early to say whether that will affect vaccine effectiveness. Of 103 H1N1 viruses tested, 94.2% were well recognized by antisera to the vaccine reference virus.
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