New flu map shows Very High infections in our region

ATLANTA (WDEF) – The new flu map for the country shows cases are growing as kids return to school this week.

The CDC map puts Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama all in the “Very High” category.

The data was collected in the last week of December.

The weekly report also noted this year’s flu season as “moderately severe” for the first time.

Across the country, the CDC reports there have been 11,000,000 cases so far.

120,000 people have been hospitalized and five thousand have died from flu symptoms.

Flu cases, hospitalization and deaths are all trending up this week.

Flu season generally peaks in January and February.

This year, the most frequent strain of the flu is also the most dangerous one for older people.

And there is a new version of the H3N2 emerging that is different from this year’s flu shots.