FRIDAY, Jan. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Flu activity remains
elevated, according to FluView, a weekly influenza surveillance
report prepared by the Influenza Division of the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention; however, the annual flu
vaccine is moderately effective at preventing the disease,
according to a report published in the Jan. 11 early-release
issue of CDC's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report. According to
the FluView report, for the first week of January, influenza
activity remained elevated in the United States, but may be
decreasing in some areas. Forty-seven states reported widespread
geographic influenza activity, with New York City and 24 states
experiencing high influenza-like illness (ILI) activity; 16
states experiencing moderate ILI activity; five states
experiencing low ILI activity; and five states experiencing
minimal ILI activity. The proportion of deaths attributed to
pneumonia and influenza, which included two influenza-associated
pediatric deaths, was slightly above the epid