Flu accounted for 1.7% of emergency department visits in the week ending Oct. 31, up from 1.2% the week before, according to the CDC’s latest FluView report. The increase was seen in every age group.
Multiple flu surveillance indicators continue to increase in many parts of the country, and activity is higher than typically observed at this time of year. The agency added that an earlier rise in activity does not necessarily mean a higher seasonal peak or a more severe season. Last week, flu admissions climbed 27%.
Here are six things to know:
- Emergency department visits: The share of ED visits with a flu diagnosis rose among patients ages 0 to 4, 5 to 17, 18 to 64 and 65 and older. It increased in every HHS region except Region 7, where it held stable, according to the CDC’s ED visit tracker.
- Hospitalizations: Hospitals reported 8,396 lab-confirmed flu admissions, up 38% from 6,100 the prior week. The admission rate rose to 2.5 per 100,000 people from 1.8. Adults 65 and older had the highest rate at 7.9 per 100,000, followed by adults ages 50 to 64 at 2.4 and children ages 4 and younger at 2.3. Regional rates ranged from 1 per 100,000 in Region 7 to 3.4 in Region 4. FluSurv-NET estimates its weekly hospitalization rate likely falls between 2.2 and 2.9 per 100,000 after accounting for reporting delays and said estimated rates continue to increase.
- Lab-confirmed flu: Clinical labs reported 4,696 positive specimens, or 9.1% of those tested, up from 7.6% the prior week. Positivity rose nationally and in most HHS regions. It held stable in Region 7 and fell in Region 9, which the CDC said could be due to incomplete reporting. H1N1 accounted for 97.7% of the influenza A viruses subtyped by public health labs.
- Outpatient visits: Flu-like illness accounted for 2.8% of outpatient visits, up from 2.4% and just below the national baseline of 2.9%. Regions 4 and 10 are above their baselines. Two jurisdictions reached high activity, up from one the week before. The number of metro areas at high or very high activity more than doubled to 22 from nine, according to the CDC’s activity map.
- Pediatric deaths: Two more pediatric flu deaths from the 2026-27 season were reported, bringing the season total to three. Three deaths from last season were also reported, raising the 2025-26 total to 202.
- Season burden and forecast: The CDC estimates there have been at least 1.7 million illnesses, 25,000 hospitalizations and 1,400 deaths from flu so far this season, up from 1 million illnesses, 16,000 hospitalizations and 900 deaths a week earlier. Its preliminary severity assessment classifies the season as low severity across all age groups, though that may change as activity rises. FluSight forecasts predict 6,900 to 30,100 weekly admissions for the week ending Nov. 21, with flu accounting for 1.6% to 6.7% of ED visits.
