Force of Infection is now on the summer schedule, meaning national Outbreak Outlook updates are only available to paid subscribers. The winter schedule, including the free national version, will resume in October. To continue receiving reports during the summer, please upgrade to paid.
Influenza-like Illness
Seasonal influenza activity is low. Trips to the doctor for symptoms like fever, cough and sore throat (referred to as outpatient influenza-like illness or ILI) remain steady at 1%.
Now that school is starting in some regions of the country, I expect we’ll start to see increases in the weeks ahead. However, ILI tends to remain low overall until the season starts in earnest in October or November. Regional editions of Outbreak Outlook, which provide detailed data for each state, begin in October for that reason.
Activity in the West is highest at around 1%. This is influenced in part by California, where outpatient ILI is 1.6%. Everywhere else, outpatient ILI is below 1% and steady. The Midwest is in the best shape at 0.5%. Severe illness is low and stable in all four regions of the country.
Activity in adults and seniors is up a tick, heading towards 1%. Infants and children are steady at 3%. In the wintertime, outpatient ILI in children can hit 15-20%; enjoy these low numbers while they last.
Covid-19
We are confident the summer season is now in progress. Activity for Covid-19 is low but rising in all four regions of the country.