The CDC makes much of this data available to the public through FluView Interactive. Through the FluView Interactive website, members of the public can access charts and graphs detailing everything from geographic “hotspots” for the flu to the overall rate of hospitalization and the prevalence of flu infections among different age groups.

2022-2023 Flu Season Data from the CDC

With the 2022-2023 flu season in full swing, we are already seeing some notable trends in the CDC’s data. Here are some of our key takeaways from FluView Interactive for the 2022-2023 flu season so far:

  • “A” Strains of the Flu Virus Are Most Prevalent This Year – As the CDC and other health authorities predicted, “A” strains of the flu virus have proven to be most prevalent during the 2022-2023 flu season thus far. According to the CDC, for the three-week period ending December 10, of the 6,819 positive flu tests reported, 6,817 were for “A” strain viruses (i.e., A (H3N2) and A (H1N1)).
  • Hospital Visits for Influenza-Like Illnesses (ILI) Have Begun to Rise – As is typically the case, hospital visits for ILI are beginning to rise during the winter months. After a peak at the beginning of December, hospital visits dropped slightly heading into the holiday season. As flu diagnoses typically reach a maximum peak in February or March, the CDC expects hospital visits to trend upward again in the coming months.
  • Flu Infections Are Most Common Among Individuals Between the Ages of 5 and 64 – When hospital visits peaked for suspected ILI in early December, close to 2,000 individuals between the ages of 5 and 64 sought treatment for flu-like symptoms. This is contrasted with approximately 250 patients under the age of 4 and approximately 550 patients aged 65 or older.
  • The CDC Estimates At Least 15 Million Flu Infections So Far This Flu Season – Overall, the CDC is currently estimating that there have been 15 million flu infections so far this flu season. This includes 150,000 infections resulting in hospitalization and 9,300 resulting in death.
  • The CDC is Continuing to Recommend Vaccination Against the Flu – According to the CDC, “[a]n annual flu vaccine is the best way to protect against flu,” and “[n]ow is a good time to get vaccinated if you haven’t already.” While the CDC recommends the flu shot for most people, getting vaccinated can be risk