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Weekly Flu Report, April 24, 2020

Massachusetts Department of Public Health weekly influenza update
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This week’s report

View the current weekly flu report.

Highlights

  • Influenza severity for Massachusetts is low this week as influenza-related hospitalizations and influenza positive test results continue to decrease.
  • The percentage of influenza-like illness visits for Massachusetts is elevated and remains higher than the previous two years in the same week. COVID-19 related activity, as well as increased healthcare-seeking behavior for respiratory illness, contributes to the increase in overall ILI trends in recent weeks.
  • Overall influenza-like illness activity for Massachusetts remains high this week. Boston and West regions are reporting high ILI activity, Southeast region is reporting low ILI activity, and all other regions are reporting moderate ILI activity.
  • The percent of influenza-associated hospitalizations in Massachusetts decreased compared to last week.
  • In the 2019-2020 flu season, more influenza B than influenza A positive specimens have been reported by hospitals and outpatient facilities in Massachusetts.
  • The number of influenza positive laboratory tests reported to MDPH continued to decrease this week.
  • All influenza strains that have been characterized in Massachusetts this season to date are covered by the current influenza vaccine.
  • Nationally, laboratory confirmed flu activity as reported by clinical laboratories is now low. Influenza-like illness activity has continued to decrease and is below the national baseline. Influenza A viruses are now the most commonly reported influenza viruses this season.
  • Additional statewide and national data including geographic spread, ILI activity, and pneumonia and influenza mortality are available at CDC’s FluView Weekly Report at www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly and FluView Interactive https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/fluviewinteractive.htm.
  • For the most up to date information on COVID-19 please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

Additional Resources

Open DOCX file, 370.07 KB,  Weekly Flu Report, April 24, 2020 (Accessible) (English, DOCX 370.07 KB)
Date published: April 24, 2020

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