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Flu numbers continue to fall but remain high

However, 99 percent of the flu viruses can be treated by oral drugs, oseltamivir and zanamivir, along with intravenous drug peramivir.

By Tauren Dyson
Outpatient hospital visits related to the flu fell by nearly 3 percent from the previous week. Photo by Mojpe/pixabay
 
 https://pixabay.com/en/woman-blow-blowing-nose-hand-chief-698964/
Outpatient hospital visits related to the flu fell by nearly 3 percent from the previous week. Photo by Mojpe/pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/woman-blow-blowing-nose-hand-chief-698964/

April 12 (UPI) -- The number of flu patients visiting hospitals continues to fall as flu season begins to wind down.

Nearly 4,000 cases of flu were reported last week in the Unites States. Outpatient hospital visits related to the flu fell by nearly 3 percent from the previous week.

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Twenty states and Puerto Rico saw widespread flu activity through the week of April 6, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

During that time, four pediatric deaths occurred, bringing the total to 86 for the 2018-2019 season.

So far, the CDC estimates there have been as many as 585,000 flu-related hospitalizations and 54,800 flu deaths, along with 40 million flu cases this season.

While the H1N1 strain of the flu dominated most of the season, the H3N2 strain took over in the last four weeks as the most prevalent form of flu.

Today, nearly, 78 percent of flu cases are H3 compared to just over 23 percent of H1 cases.

Overall, more than 160,000 cases of flu have been diagnosed this season. Oral drugs like oseltamivir and zanamivir can treat 99 percent of flu viruses.

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