Eleven states are currently experiencing local or regional flu activity, according to the latest CDC data.
Flu activity so far
CDC's latest Weekly Influenza Surveillance update in the 2019-2020 flu season goes through Friday, Oct. 26.
The report shows that the majority of jurisdictions are experiencing "minimal" flu activity, which is the lowest level of flu severity.
Louisiana is the only state currently experiencing regional flu activity, while Rhode Island is the only state experiencing no flu activity.
In the previous update, Maryland was the only state experiencing widespread flu activity. However, CDC's updated data shows Maryland is experiencing sporadic flu activity.
Meanwhile, 10 states—Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, Tennessee, and Texas—are experiencing local flu activity. The remaining states are experiencing sporadic activity.
CDC did not release estimates yet of how many people have contracted the flu, nor has it released data on how many medical visits or hospitalizations the flu has led to so far this season. CDC said it will release that data "when activity has been sufficient to generate a stable estimate."
However, CDC did say that it has confirmed 141 positive respiratory specimens for influenza A and 287 positive specimens for influenza B in the week ending in Oct. 26. Since Sept. 29, CDC said it has confirmed 2,130 positive specimens. The week also saw the percentage of outpatient visits for flu-like illness at 1.9%, below the national baseline of 2.4%.
CDC also reported that four influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported in the week ending in Oct. 26, though these deaths occurred during the 2018-2019 season. So far, the 2019-2020 flu season has seen a total of two influenza-associated pediatric deaths (CDC Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, 11/1; CDC Flu Season FAQ, accessed 11/4).