Outbreak Outlook - National - May 26

Monitoring a new covid-19 variant, concerns over policy limiting covid-19 vaccine availability, cucumber and baby food recalled

Respiratory Diseases

Influenza-like illness

Not a lot going on, here in the off season. Outpatient influenza-like illness (ILI) held steady this past week at 1.9%. Hospitalizations are very low at 0.5 hospitalizations per 100,000 people.

Across age groups, outpatient ILI is roughly flattening out at low levels. The 0-4 year old age group continues to have the highest rates of activity, at 6.3%, followed by the 5-24 year-old age group, at 2.9%. Those 25-49 are at 1.4%, 50-64 at 1.0%, and 65+ at 0.7%.

All states are reporting low or minimal ILI activity, and wastewater activity is low.

Flu B made up 75% of positive samples in clinical labs and only 10% of samples in public health labs.

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COVID-19

Covid-19 is still pretty quiet, but activity is increasing in a few places, most notably Hawaii.