According to the Centers for Diseases Control (CDC), flu, or influenza, is a virus that can be caught by a person from another person through droplets. This can be through sneezing, cough, or through saliva when people communicate with one another. It is a highly contagious respiratory illness that turns up year after year which causes thousands of deaths in US population alone.
Influenza A virus caused one of the deadliest pandemics, particularly The Spanish Flu in 1918-1919. What usually happens during infection is that virus attaches itself to the cell using a certain type of protein, since it needs a host to multiply, and then it replicates itself within the cell. After which, a certain type of protein is cut loose which is then sent to other cells. The response of the body is to send white blood cells to cells attacked by the flu virus, which then creates a symptom of fever, inflammation, and fatigue, signs of an infection in the body. Some of those who acquire the influenza virus survive, others, especially those with weakened immune system, do not.
Flu Statistics Across the US
In December 2025, according to the CDC, there have been 7.5 million reported cases of flu, 81,000 hospitalizations because of it, and 3,100 deaths during the flu season.
States like Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee have very high respiratory illness activity. This means that more people are being reported, diagnosed, and treated for respiratory illness, including flu.
In the same report, states like Alabama, California, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Nevada, Texas and Virginia were seeing high respiratory illness activity.
According to ABC News, almost 130 million doses of the flu shot have been administered at the time of the writing of the news report. In the year 2024, 143 million doses of flu shot were distributed.
During the 2024-2025 influenza season, a total of 280 children died from influenza-associated deaths. The median age of death was 7 years, and more than half or 56% of children had at least one underlying medical condition.
What To Do
Influenza is a dangerous illness that can lead to a more severe illness and, without proper medical intervention, could lead to death. Experts recommend that children be administered with a flu shot. Because the flu cannot be treated with antibacterial medications, prevention is better than cure. Not only do children need flu vaccines but anyone who is eligible for a flu shot, without allergies to the content of the vaccine, should get one.
References
Cobern, J., & Benadjaoud, Y. (2025, December 30). Flu activity rises sharply across the US with at least 7.5 million illnesses: CDC. ABC News. https://abcnews.com/US/flu-activity-rises-sharply-us-75-million-illnesses/story?id=128765018
Dalton, M. (2026, May 29). Flu (Influenza). NFID. https://www.nfid.org/infectious-disease/flu/
Reinhart, K., Huang, S., Kniss, K., Reed, C., & Budd, A. (2025). Influenza-Associated Pediatric Deaths — United States, 2024–25 influenza season. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 74(36), 565–569. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7436a2
