October 4, 2022 – Each week, we will compile the latest data regarding flu and COVID-19 cases in the United States. As things change, we hope that this information will paint a better picture of what to look for in emerging COVID variant and in the upcoming flu season.
According to the CDC’s Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, there have been 677 positive influenza specimens out of a total of 50,292 specimens tested in clinical laboratories. Influenza A makes up 628 of those cases, while Influenza B makes up 49 of the cases. The data from clinical laboratories are used to monitor whether flu activity is increasing or decreasing.
The CDC’s COVID-19 tracker reports that there are a daily average of 47,112 new cases and a daily average of 3,773 new hospitalizations as of September 28. The positive cases have decreased 13.1% from the previous 7-day moving average (54,202). The CDC says that there are several “lineages of omicron and within each are multiple sublineages.” The most dominant strain is now BA.5, projected at 84.8%.
As we move into the colder months, the CDC has made several recommendations to maintain a healthy lifestyle:
- Attend routine health care visits
- Move more, sit less
- Eat healthy, drink wisely
- Aim for at least seven hours of sleep each night