Where is the flu surging across the US? Hospitals restrict access as cases spike

U.S. hospitals are feeling the strain of this flu season, with many announcing visitor restrictions as cases remain elevated nationwide.

Minnesota hospitals are leaning on triage systems to deal with the influx of patients and hospitals in North Carolina and South Carolina have prohibited visits from children and teenagers.

Hospital visitors in Indiana have been strongly encouraged to wear face masks, and Washington state health officials reported that local emergency departments are seeing five times the threshold of flu visits that would alert officials to increased transmission.

The latest data from federal health officials estimates that there have been at least 9.1 million illnesses and 110,000 hospitalizations thus far this flu season. Emergency room visits are now very high.

There have also been 4,700 deaths, including 16 children who have died.

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Source: The Independent, 17 January 2025