Although the flu is beginning to wane, it is sickening and killing seniors at rates "higher than we've ever seen," a CDC flu expert says.
As of last week, people older than 65 who died from a laboratory-confirmed case of influenza died at a rate of 116 per 100,000.
"We've kept rates since 2005 and we have never seen a rate this high," says Michael Jhung, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "The highest we've ever seen was 90 per 100,000."
He expects those numbers to go higher still. Hospitalization -- and, in some cases, death -- follows several weeks after a person first gets sick.
"We've still got several weeks of the season yet, so it's going to be much worse" before it's over, he says. "The deaths are still accumulating."
Each year, between 3,000 and 49,000 Americans die from influenza-related causes, the CDC estimates. So far this season, 45 children have died as a result of the flu. Numbers for adults won't be available until the flu season ends.
The virus is surging in the West, but waning nationally:
9.4% of deaths reported in the CDC's 122 Cities Mortality Reporting System were from pneumonia and influenza as of Jan. 26. That's well above the epidemic threshold of 7.2% but down from 9.8% a week earlier.
The proportion of people visiting the doctor for influenza-like illness was 4.2% of all doctor visits, down from 4.3% the week before, the CDC's FluView report showed. On average, the number is usually 2.2%.
Flu remains "elevated" nationwide; 42 states reported widespread influenza activity last week and seven reported localized activity, the CDC said. The previous week, 47 states had widespread activity.
Flu is more dangerous to people 65 and older, and it is worse this year because the prevalent strain, H3N2. is especially hard on the elderly.
"We haven't seen H3 viruses predominate like they are this year since the 2004-2005 season," Jhung said. People have little immunity unless they were vaccinated this year.
It's not too late to get vaccinated, Jhung said.
Someone who begins to feel sick should contact a doctor quickly. Antiviral drugs, taken within 48 hours of the onset of the flu, are helpful in preventing complications and keeping people out of the hospital, he said.
California, Oregon and Washington are still showing increases in flu cases, Jhung said.
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