Content about Orthomyxoviridae

ATLANTA — If the flu were a storm cloud, the influenza virus is hovering over America's Bread Basket on its way to the Southwest, according to data provided through the U.S. Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported that 4.3% of patient visits reported through ILINet were due to influenza-like illness, above the national baseline of 2.2%. But as the map indicates, influenza rates are declining up and down the East Coast and is most virulent in Texas and states west.

ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported a slight drop in influenza-like illnesses across the country, but even so the season is still going strong. The proportion of outpatient visits for influenza-like illness for the week ended Jan. 12 was 4.6%, above the national baseline of 2.2%

NEW YORK — This year is turning out to be a strong cough and cold season even though there are more flu shots being administered at retail, and those flu shots are a pretty good match to the popular strains this year — 99.4% of the H3N2 influenza viruses tested matched one of the three components of the 2012 to 2013 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccine. Overall, for the four weeks ending Dec. 30, sales of remedies for sore throats and cough syrups were up 12.5% and 26.2%, respectively, according to SymphonyIRI Group data as measured across all channels. 

NEW YORK — The rocketing incidence of flu has been characterized as the most severe in at least a decade, and it's only going to get worse. Or better, depending upon your perspective. 

ATLANTA — The influenza season is officially underway as flu incidence is already above the national threshold, Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters during a teleconference Monday. "This is the earliest regular flu season we've had in nearly a decade, since the 2003-2004 flu season," he said. "That was an early and severe flu year, and while flu is always unpredictable, the early nature of the cases as well as the specific strains we're seeing suggest that this could be a bad flu year."

TORONTO — In light of a decision by the Ontario government to expand the scope of practice for pharmacists to include administering flu shots, Shoppers Drug Mart has announced that it will offer vaccination clinics in more than 750 stores in Ontario and across Canada.

Under the new regulations, pharmacists in Ontario now can administer flu immunization by injection or inhalation to a patient who is 5 years of age and older.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has approved what it called the first flu vaccine to prevent four strains of the influenza virus.

NEW YORK — According to the most recent consumer snapshot survey by Interclick, 42% of Americans are planning to be immunized this year.

The survey, released Wednesday, explores consumer behaviors ahead of flu season, including sentiment on the shots, preferred treatment brands and where they go for the latest news on the flu.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — The typical flu season always coincides with the busiest travel period of the year, and last season that spelled trouble for more than 3 million U.S. vacationers whose trips were interrupted by flu-related illness, according to the "Walgreens Flu Impact Report" released Tuesday.

The findings in part two of the survey examining the effects of influenza on people's everyday lives, released today, showed how the flu affected Americans' vacations, holidays, social engagements, sporting events and more.

NEW YORK The World Health Organization's director-general Margaret Chan issued a statement on Tuesday that the H1N1 influenza has entered the post-pandemic period, but warned that the virus has not yet gone away.

While WHO has reported marginal levels of H1N1 transmission worldwide as of late, Chan said it expects the H1N1 virus to take on the behavior of a seasonal influenza virus and continue to circulate for some years to come.