JAKARTA - The severe flu season in the United States has not ended. Experts warn of a 'second peak' that is now beginning to be seen with more and more children infected.
After a brief decline, flu cases in various regions of the US have again shown an increase. The latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released on January 30 showed a spike in new infections.
"We are heading for the second peak of the flu season," said Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist from Johns Hopkins University who also writes the newsletter Force of Infection, quoted from the USA Today website.
According to him, the first peak occurred around New Year's, then cases dropped for several weeks before rising again.
"Unfortunately, now we are seeing an increase again, especially in school-age children," said Rivers.
When children and adolescents are infected, the flu virus then spreads in the home and causes an increase in cases among other family members.
Flu season usually occurs in autumn and winter, although it can sometimes last longer. Experts also emphasize that the course of the flu season is often difficult to predict.
So far, the CDC estimates that there have been at least 20 million cases of flu, 270 thousand hospitalizations, and 11 thousand deaths from flu this season. Children under the age of 18 have recorded the highest weekly hospitalization rate since the 2010-2011 flu season.
"We're not out of this winter flu season yet," said Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville.
In the latest CDC data for the week ending January 24, there were eight additional child deaths from flu, bringing the total number of child deaths this season to 52 cases. About 90% of the children who died and actually qualified for vaccination and had known vaccine status data had not received the flu vaccine.
"The dominant influenza A(H3N2) strain in the US has mutated in the K subgroup, making it very contagious and triggering a relatively severe flu season. Even so, the flu vaccine still provides protection, especially against severe infections," said Schaffner.
Meanwhile, the influenza B strain is still slowly spreading. Usually, influenza B becomes more prominent towards the end of the flu season. The latest CDC data shows a slight increase in influenza B cases nationwide.
"The Sun Belt region in the southern United States tends to experience a slower spike in cases, so infections appear later," explained Dr. George Rust, a professor at Florida State University College of Medicine.
With cases on the rise again, experts stress the importance of vaccination. Rust said it's not too late to get a flu vaccine, even though time is running out.
In addition to vaccination, the public is advised to avoid people who cough and sneeze, because the flu spreads through respiratory droplets. Washing hands regularly with soap and water is also highly recommended.
"If you are sick, don't pretend to be strong," said Rust.
He advised people who experience symptoms such as fever, body aches, and fatigue not to go to school or work.
"Don't spread germs to others," he said.
The higher-risk group treated in the hospital for flu includes the elderly aged 65 years and over, people with comorbidities, those with weak immune systems, and pregnant women.
Wearing a mask that fits on the face, such as an N95 or KN95 respirator, can also help reduce the risk of transmission, especially in crowded places.
Most of these prevention measures also apply to other respiratory diseases circulating during the winter, such as COVID-19 and RSV.
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