Amid further declines in COVID activity, the CDC reported a steady rise in JN.1 spinoffs that have 2 added spike mutations, part of a group nicknamed FLiRT.
Wastewater COVID detections declined to the minimal level and are highest in the Midwest.
Outpatient visits for flulike illness is below the national baseline for the first time since October.
With the drop in flu activity gaining momentum, several parts of the US are now below their regional baselines.
Flu levels trended downward for the second straight week, as markers for COVID and RSV continue steady drops.
The patient was hospitalized earlier this month and has since recovered.
Advice includes optimizing HVAC systems and other steps to improve air quality and circulation.
Flu indicators declined last week, as COVID wastewater detections declined to the low level.
The latest round of free at-home tests began in November 2023 heading into the winter respiratory virus season.
COVID-19 patients with acute kidney injury were at 69% lower risk of death than those with acute kidney injury due to other diseases.
October flu vaccinations were greater in children with October births compared with other birth months, with 49% of those born in October also vaccinated in October.
Though influenza A is still dominant, some countries are seeing influenza B rises.
A phase 3 trial of the drug, focusing on the 600-mg dose, is under way.
Activity is rising in Europe and Central Asia, with declines in other regions, including parts of East Asia and the Arabian Peninsula.
The greatest reductions occurred when the breaks coincided with elevated local flu activity.
Influenza A currently makes up the majority of global detections, with H3N2 most common among subtyped samples.
Flu levels continue to climb in North America, as well as other locations including China's northern provinces.
The Home Test to Treat program offers home COVID and flu testing, telehealth visits, and treatment—if needed—for uninsured and underinsured adults.
In its weekly update, the CDC also said five new flu-related deaths in children have been confirmed.
Regions on the rise include parts of Asia, North America, and Europe.
The highest flu positivity rates were in the Mountain, south central, southeast, and West Coast regions.
Media reports describe overwhelmed children's hospitals in multiple locations in China.
Hospitalizations, also on the rise, are highest in seniors and young children.
Most flu viruses were influenza A, and of subtyped samples, about two-thirds were H3N2.
Hospitalizations are also up, especially in seniors and young children.