First CDC FluView Report for 2012-2013 Influenza Season Shows Low Activity Nationwide

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today issued the first FluView influenza activity report for the U.S. 2012-2013 flu season. The 2012-2013 reporting season began on Sept. 30, 2012. The first FluView report shows that influenza activity is low nationwide. 

The CDC routinely tracks influenza activity in the United States with a system that determines when and where influenza activity is occurring, what influenza viruses are circulating, and detects changes in influenza viruses. The system also measures the burden of influenza disease in the United States, including tracking flu-related illness, hospitalizations and deaths.  Data for the week ending Oct. 6, 2012 indicate that influenza activity is low nationally at this time.

This year, FluView includes enhanced web-based interactive applications, which can provide dynamic visuals of the influenza data collected and analyzed by CDC. These FluView Interactive applications allow people to create customized, visual interpretations of influenza data, as well as comparisons across flu seasons, regions, age groups, and a variety of other demographics.

CDC experts cant predict how severe the upcoming flu season will be.  However, the agency recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older get vaccinated against influenza each year. More than 112 million doses of seasonal influenza vaccine already have been distributed by vaccine manufacturers in the United States this season and more is expected.