Health
Last season's flu stats
■ An occasional snapshot of current facts and trends in medicine.
Quick View. Posted Oct. 23, 2006
Last season, peak flu activity was less intense than in the previous three years but remained elevated for a longer time.
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In 2005-06, 38 states and New York City reported widespread activity at least once during the season. For 18 consecutive weeks, beginning the week ending Dec. 17, 2005, at least one state reported activity.
Regional differences were explained in part by strains in various areas. Though influenza A (H3N2) viruses predominated, influenza B had a late-season burst. Therefore, the western-most regions reported early and extended activity due to an early peak of influenza A activity from mid-December to January and a second, lesser peak of influenza B from early March to early May. In the middle and eastern regions, influenza A activity peaked later, with B strains demonstrating less activity. Thus, these regions saw a single peak of influenza virus activity in early March.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
