This season’s outbreak of flu continues to be high — especially
among the elderly and the young — but appears to be waning, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported yesterday.
Flu-like illnesses appeared to be falling in the East but rising
in the Western states. Forty-five children have died, the CDC
reported. This year’s flu season began earlier and appeared
harsher than in past years. For the week ending Jan. 26, the CDC
said, 42 states reported widespread geographic influenza
activity while seven reported regional activity. During that
period, 24 states and New York City reported high levels of flu
activity. Those states were Arizona, Arkansas, California,
Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri,
Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North
Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West
Virginia and Wyoming. Thirteen states and the District of
Columbia were reporting moderate flu activity; four states had
low activity; and nine states re