The holidays came with a side of flu for many Americans, with 40 states reporting high or very high levels of illness last week, according to the latest government health data.
“A lot of flu out there,” said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Carrie Reed.
Of course, there are a number of bugs that cause fever, cough, sore throat, and other flu-like symptoms. One is COVID-19. Another is RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, which is a common cause of cold-like symptoms but can be dangerous for infants and the elderly.
The most recent CDC hospitalization data and other indicators show that the flu virus is trending higher than the other germs, Reed said. Several seasonal flu strains are driving cases, with no dominant one, she added.