As the world braces for a predicted wave of pandemic influenza, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a report summarizing the level of flu activity in the U.S. between April (when the first H1N1 virus infections in the U.S. were identified) through August. Here are some of the CDC’s key findings:

Up, Down, Up

Flu activity peaked in May and June and declined in July and early August. However, some parts of the country witnessed a spike in flu activity in the last two weeks of August. Six states—Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina—and Puerto Rico reported widespread flu activity in the last week of August.

Higher than Normal for Summer

At close to 1 million, the number of flu cases reported was above normal for summer months. There were 9,079 hospitalizations and 593 deaths associated with laboratory-confirmed 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infections reported to CDC from mid-April to August 30. 47 of the reported deaths were pediatric.

Most Cases Treatable

Not that I pretend to understand what these findings mean, but CDC also reports that most of the viruses tested for antiviral resistance based on samples taken from ill persons were “susceptible to” oseltamivir and zanamivir but “resistant to” amantadine and rimantadine.

Beware of Early Flu Season

The CDC warns that the abnormally high level of flu cases during the summer could signal an early beginning to the 2009-2010 flu season.

Source: Centers for Disease Control, Update, “Influenza Activity: US—April to August 2009,” Sept. 10, 2009,  http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm58e0910a1.htm?s_cid=mm58e0910a1_x

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