All articles tagged with #flu
Provisional CDC data show the U.S. death rate fell to a record low last year, helped by fewer overdose deaths, while flu and pneumonia rose to become the eighth-leading cause of death; heart disease and cancer remain the top killers.
A 14-year-old girl from Kerrville, Texas, diagnosed with the flu, developed life-threatening bacterial infections (strep pneumonia and sepsis) that progressed to necrotizing pneumonia and multi-organ failure. After a 117-day hospitalization, she underwent amputation of her right arm and both legs, now uses prosthetics and requires inpatient rehab; a GoFundMe was launched to cover medical bills, prosthetics, and home modifications.
A Daily Kos community post highlights a JAMA Network Open study showing people with multiple sclerosis can safely receive live attenuated MMR and varicella vaccines without relapse, while also compiling a wide range of infectious-disease updates, such as outbreaks and vaccine policy discussions.
A flu outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas sickened nearly 300 recruits (four hospitalized; one recruit died in a military hospital, though its link to the flu is unclear). The Pentagon reinstated the annual flu vaccine mandate for all recruits across the military, reversing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s earlier move to make vaccines optional. Exemptions had been approved after the policy shift, but vaccination rates among incoming trainees had fallen, prompting the policy U-turn and a focus on readiness and herd-immunity considerations.
After more than 200 flu cases at Lackland Air Force Base, the Air Force has reinstated a flu vaccination requirement for basic training recruits, reversing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s earlier scrapping of the mandate; as of June 19 there were 222 cases (four hospitalizations). Exemptions had been allowed, and medical teams are isolating and treating the sick, with the goal of vaccinating all incoming recruits to safeguard readiness.
A flu outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas sickened more than 200 airmen and trainees, prompting vaccination efforts after the Pentagon ended the annual flu vaccine mandate; the base sought exemptions to mandate vaccines, but has begun vaccinating and isolating affected personnel, with medical teams treating patients with antivirals like Tamiflu and monitoring close contacts to protect readiness.
About 160 troops at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas have contracted influenza over roughly three weeks, a major outbreak that follows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s rollback of the yearly flu-shot requirement for service members.
An influenza outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio sickened about 159 recruits after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ended mandatory flu vaccination, making vaccination optional with roughly 40% uptake; crowded dormitory-style living facilitates spread, a basic trainee's death is under investigation, and overall adult flu vaccination coverage this season was around 46%.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. military will drop the universal annual flu vaccine mandate, allowing troops to opt in if they choose. He framed the move as ending an overly broad requirement to strengthen war-fighting capabilities, while public health experts warn it could weaken readiness by increasing flu cases, missed duty days and costs.
Flu, COVID-19 (including BA.3.2), RSV and norovirus are circulating this spring; their symptoms overlap, so you need a test to know which virus you have. Local wastewater data and community trends help gauge which virus is dominant where you live, and vaccination or boosters may be advised based on personal risk and local conditions.
A 13-year-old Kerrville, Texas, girl named Kaydin Ruiz developed life-threatening flu complications when influenza led to a severe strep pneumonia infection that caused clotting and organ failure, resulting in the amputation of three limbs; she remains hospitalized at Texas Children’s Hospital as her family raises awareness of flu risks and doctors urge vaccination to prevent such severe outcomes.
A 13-year-old Kerrville girl developed septic shock and multi-organ failure after influenza and a strep infection, leading to the amputation of three limbs. Her family is sharing her story to raise awareness and emphasize vaccination to help prevent similar outcomes.
This season’s U.S. flu vaccine performed poorly because a newly dominant H3N2 subclade (K) wasn’t well matched to the vaccine, leading to one of the lowest effectiveness rates in years (about 25%–30% in preventing illness severe enough to seek care; around 40% less likely for vaccinated children to need treatment). The winter surge was sharp (NYC called it the strongest in 20 years) with 16 states at times reporting high activity. CDC estimates roughly 27 million illnesses, 350,000 hospitalizations, and 22,000 deaths so far; about 101 pediatric deaths have occurred, most among unvaccinated or not-fully-vaccinated individuals. Adult vaccination is about 46.5%, and roughly 48% of kids were vaccinated as the season waned. Health officials say vaccines still curb severe illness and death, and WHO/FDA have advised updates to target subclade K for the next season.
U.S. FDA vaccine advisers unanimously endorsed including the A(H3N2) subclade K in next fall’s flu vaccines, aligning with WHO guidance; final approval rests with FDA Commissioner Makary. Subclade K has become the dominant strain in the Northern Hemisphere, highlighting the annual, uncertain process of strain selection. The season saw limited vaccine effectiveness and a high pediatric burden, with falling vaccination rates since the pandemic, alongside tens of millions of illnesses and thousands of hospitalizations.
A Clinton County, Ohio teenager has died from the flu; authorities have not released the teen's age, vaccination status, or whether there were underlying health conditions. Health officials note that about 90% of reported child flu deaths this season have occurred in unvaccinated children, underscoring the ongoing vaccination discussion.