Flu season begins tracking across the South

Nationwide, influenza-like activity is beginning to rise for the second week, barely eclipsing the national baseline the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established as an indicator that the current flu season is active.



For the week ended Dec. 2, 2.3% of patient visits reported through the U.S. Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network were due to influenza-like illness. Last year the flu season didn't officially start until closer to Christmas, or three weeks after the official start of the flu season this year. That season crested midway through February at a peak of 5.2% in ILI-related illness rates.



Currently three states are reporting high influenza activity, including Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. Puerto Rico, Georgia, Hawaii and Texas have reported moderate influenza activity.