US flu season may have reached its peak, CDC says

<i>Tom Merton/OJO Images RF/Getty Images via CNN Newsource</i><br/>There have been at least 37 million illnesses

By CNN Newsource

Published February 28, 2025 11:23 am

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN

(CNN) — The worst flu season the United States has had in more than a decade may have reached its peak, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Data published by the agency on Friday shows that flu activity is still elevated but has decreased for two consecutive weeks.

There were more than 6 flu hospitalizations for every 100,000 people in the US during the week ending February 22, according to CDC data. That’s less than half as many as there were two weeks earlier, but still more than there have been at this point in the season in at least 15 years – and respiratory illness activity was high or very high in all but 11 states last week

There have been at least 37 million illnesses, 480,000 hospitalizations and 21,000 deaths from flu so far this season, according to CDC estimates, and the agency expects several more weeks of flu activity.

This was also the first season since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic that flu hospitalizations surpassed those from Covid-19. As of February 22, the cumulative rate of flu hospitalizations in the US during this respiratory virus season was nearly twice as high as the rate of Covid-19 hospitalizations, according to CDC data.

Vaccination can help prevent against severe outcomes from flu, but vaccination rates were low this season. Only about 45% of adults and children got their flu shot this season, CDC data shows, well below the federal target of 70%.

On Thursday, the CDC published data showing that the flu vaccine was between 63% and 78% effective at preventing hospitalization among children this season and between 41% and 55% effective at preventing hospitalization among adults.

“Given the high levels of influenza activity and severity in the United States this season, increasing influenza vaccination could reduce influenza-associated illnesses, medical visits, hospitalizations and deaths,” the CDC report said.