CDC: H1N1 flu continues to decrease

ATLANTA, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. influenza activity continues drop, with 25 states reporting widespread flu cases down from 32 states from a week earlier, health officials say.

The weekly flu surveillance report released Friday, completed during flu season by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, says 17 states reported regional influenza activity. The District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and six states reported local influenza activity. Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands,Wyoming and Colorado reported sporadic influenza activity.

More than 99 percent of all sub-typed influenza A viruses being reported to CDC were influenza A H1N1 viruses, the report says. Seventeen influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported.

Eight of the 10 U.S. regions reported influenza-like illness at or above region-specific baseline levels, but Regions 6 and 10 reported influenza-like illness below their region specific baselines.

Region 6 includes Arkansas, Louisianan, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Region 10 includes Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.