Weekly Flu Report, January 24, 2020

Massachusetts Department of Public Health weekly influenza update

This week’s report

View the current weekly flu report..

Highlights

• Influenza severity for Massachusetts has increased from moderate to high this week.
• The percentage of influenza-like illness visits for Massachusetts has increased and is higher than the previous two years in the same week.
• Overall influenza-like illness activity for Massachusetts remains high this week. The Inner Metro Boston region is reporting moderate ILI activity while all other regions are reporting high ILI activity.
• The percent of influenza-associated hospitalizations in Massachusetts has increased in recent weeks, but remains lower than the previous two years in the same 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 increased this week by 31% compared to last week. The number of influenza A and influenza B positive laboratory tests reported to MDPH increased by 23% and 37%, respectively, compared to last week.
• All influenza strains that have been characterized in Massachusetts this season to date are covered by the current influenza vaccine.
• Nationally, influenza-like illness activity remains elevated and influenza B is most common, however, during recent weeks approximately equal numbers of influenza B and influenza A have been reported.
• There have been two confirmed case of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV in Wuhan, China) in the U.S. and no cases identified in Massachusetts.  For the most up to date information on the Wuhan virus please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
• 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.

Flu activity remains elevated. It’s not too late to get vaccinated.

Flu vaccination is always the best way to prevent flu and its potentially serious complications.

Additional Resources

Weekly Flu Report, January 24, 2020 (Accessible)

Date published:	January 24, 2020