By the end of this season, officials said the pediatric death toll is likely to approach, if not exceed, the 148 deaths reported during the 2014-2015 flu season. This flu season is on track to be one of the worst in 15 years, with nearly 12,000 people needing to be hospitalized, federal health officials reported Friday. “It’s a tough flu season,” said Daniel Jernigan, who heads the CDC’s influenza division. More people are seeking care for flu-like illness than at any time since the 2009 swine flu pandemic that swept the country. If that pandemic season is not included for comparison, the last time the country experienced such high levels of influenza-like illness was in 2003-2004.

Source: thestar January 26, 2018 22:30 UTC