US flu activity soars; hospital cases nearly double

(CIDRAP) The early brisk flu season in the United States intensified last week, with hospitalizations almost doubling and most states in the red and purple high or very high zones, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its latest update. The United States and many countries in Europe are grappling with rising flu activity against the backdrop widespread circulation of other respiratory diseases, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and ongoing threats from COVID-19 as variant proportions shift.