Flu hospitalizations rising

It was noted that that the number of pediatric deaths rose this week by 16, from 37 to 53.

Twenty percent of the children who died had been vaccinated, officials said.

According to Dr. Anne Schuchat, the new acting director at the CDC, H3N2 continues to dominate this season, but other strains ─ like H1N1 and Influenza B ─ are also being reported around the country.

Dr. Dan Jernigan also reported at the briefing a rise in hospitalization rates from 41.9 per 100,000 last week to 51.4 this week. He said that number may ultimately exceed that of 2014-2015, when there were 710,000 by season’s end.