What to know
Background
Note
The overall burden of influenza (flu) for the 2019-2020 was an estimated 35 million flu-related illnesses, 16 million flu-related medical visits, 390,000 flu-related hospitalizations, and 25,000 flu-related deaths (Table 1).
For the past several years, CDC has estimated the numbers of flu-related illnesses, medical visits, hospitalizations, and deaths. More information on How CDC Estimates Flu Burden and Why CDC Estimates Flu Burden is available1.
2019-2020 Tables for Flu Burden Estimates
| Symptomatic Illnesses | Medical Visits | Hospitalizations | Deaths | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age group | Estimate | 95% UI | Estimate | 95% UI | Estimate | 95% UI | Estimate | 95%UI |
| 0-4 yrs | 3,783,318 | (2,784,324, 8,271,122) | 2,534,823 | (1,827,494, 5,529,562) | 26,376 | (19,411, 57,663) | 367 | (128, 1,568) |
| 5-17 yrs | 7,030,212 | (4,889,043, 19,533,608) | 3,655,710 | (2,483,764, 10,022,293) | 19,276 | (13,405, 53,559) | 163 | (27, 669) |
| 18-49 yrs | 14,406,940 | (9,420,406, 40,338,052) | 5,330,568 | (3,363,101, 14,825,249) | 80,866 | (52,877, 226,418) | 2,492 | (1,378, 8,913) |
| 50-64 yrs | 8,712,272 | (6,086,659, 21,872,370) | 3,746,277 | (2,541,096, 9,251,388) | 92,391 | (64,547, 231,950) | 6,200 | (3,611, 22,359) |
| 65+ yrs | 1,903,130 | (1,293,282, 4,603,468) | 1,065,753 | (704,953, 2,606,745) | 173,012 | (117,571, 418,497) | 16,278 | (9,846, 61,651) |
| All ages | 35,835,872 | (28,590,418, 70,051,903) | 16,333,131 | (13,117,497, 30,717,980) | 391,921 | (311,521, 725,364) | 25,500 | (18,053, 78,834) |
| Illness rate | Medical visit rate | Hospitalization rate | Mortality rate | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age group | Estimate | 95% UI | Estimate | 95% UI | Estimate | 95% UI | Estimate | 95% UI |
| 0-4 yrs | 19,325.60 | (14,222.7, 42,249.9) | 12,948.20 | (9,335.1, 28,245.7) | 134.7 | (99.2, 294.5) | 1.9 | (0.7, 8.0) |
| 5-17 yrs | 13,149.80 | ( 9,144.8, 36,537.0) | 6,837.90 | (4,645.8, 18,746.4) | 36.1 | (25.1, 100.2) | 0.3 | (0.0, 1.3) |
| 18-49 yrs | 10,423.50 | ( 6,815.7, 29,184.7) | 3,856.70 | (2,433.2, 10,726.1) | 58.5 | (38.3, 163.8) | 1.8 | (1.0, 6.4) |
| 50-64 yrs | 13,845.30 | ( 9,672.8, 34,759.0) | 5,953.50 | (4,038.2, 14,702.1) | 146.8 | (102.6, 368.6) | 9.9 | (5.7, 35.5) |
| 65+ yrs | 3,520.50 | ( 2,392.4, 8,515.8) | 1,971.50 | (1,304.1, 4,822.1) | 320 | (217.5, 774.2) | 30.1 | (18.2, 114.0) |
†Uncertainty interval: Adjusted estimates are presented in two parts: an uncertainty interval [UI] and a point estimate. The uncertainty interval provides a range in which the true number or rate of flu illnesses, medical visits, hospitalizations, or deaths would be expected to fall if the same study was repeated many times, and it gives an idea of the precision of the point estimate. A 95% uncertainty interval means that if the study were repeated 100 times, then 95 out of 100 times the uncertainty interval would contain the true point estimate. Conversely, in only 5 times out of a 100 would the uncertainty interval not contain the true point estimate.
2019–2020 Flu Season Summary
Flu activity in the United States during the 2019–2020 season began to increase in November and was consistently high through January and February. The season was characterized by two consecutive waves of activity, beginning with influenza B viruses and followed by A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses. Overall, influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses were the most commonly reported influenza viruses this season. Activity began to decline in March, perhaps associated with community prevention measures for COVID-1923. The 2019-20 season is described as having moderate severity; however, the effect of flu differed by age group and the severity of the season in some age groups was higher. Hospitalization rates among children 0-4 years old and adults 18-49 years old were higher than observed during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic3.
2019-2020 Flu Burden Summary
CDC estimates that the burden of illness during the 2019–2020 season was moderate with an estimated 35 million people sick with flu, 16 million visits to a health care provider for flu, 390,000 hospitalizations for flu, and 25,000 flu deaths (Table 1). The number of cases of flu-related illness, medically attended illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths were lower than some more recent seasons and similar to other seasons where influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses dominated45.
Flu Severity in Children
The 2019–2020 flu season was atypical in that it was severe for children aged 0-4 years where rates of infections, medically attended illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths were higher than those observed during the 2017-2018 season, a recent season with high severity4. The burden of flu and the rates of flu-related hospitalization are usually higher for the very young and the very old, and while this was observed during the 2019–2020 season, rates of hospitalization in adults aged 18-49 years were the highest seasonal rates seen since the 2017-2018 season (Table 2). These rates mean that an estimated 14 million cases of flu in younger adults (aged 18-49 years), which is the second highest number of infections for this age group since CDC began reporting flu burden estimates in the 2010-11 season.
Estimates of Flu-Related Hospitalizations and Deaths
CDC's estimates of hospitalizations and mortality associated with the 2019–2020 flu season show the effects that influenza virus infections can have on society. Nearly 45,000 hospitalizations occurred in children aged < 18 years and 80,000 hospitalizations among adults aged 18-49 years. Forty-four percent of hospitalizations occurred in older adults aged ≥65 years. Older adults also accounted for 64% of deaths, which is lower than recent previous seasons. These findings continue to highlight that older adults are particularly vulnerable to severe disease with influenza virus infection. An estimated 8,500 deaths (34% of all deaths) occurred among working age adults (aged 18–64 years), an age group for which flu vaccine coverage is often low6. This also underscores that influenza viruses can affect individuals of any age and prevention measures such as vaccination are important to reducing the impact of the seasonal epidemics on the population and healthcare system.
Estimated Flu Deaths in Children
Deaths in children with laboratory-confirmed influenza virus infection have been a reportable disease in the United States since 2004; 199 deaths were reported for the 2019-20 season as of October 31, 2023. However, flu-related pediatric deaths are likely under-reported, as not all children whose death was related to an influenza virus infection may have been tested for flu78. Therefore, we used a mathematical model to estimate the total number of pediatric deaths based on hospitalization rates and the frequency of death in and out of the hospital using death certificates. We estimate that an additional 530 deaths associated with flu occurred during the 2019-2020 season among children aged <18 years.
Burden Estimates Limitations
These estimates are subject to some limitations.
Past Seasons Burden Prevented Estimates
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Estimated influenza illnesses and hospitalizations averted by influenza vaccination – United States, 2012-13 influenza season. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2013 Dec 13;62(49):997-1000.
- Olsen SJ, Azziz-Baumgartner E, Budd AP, et al. Decreased Influenza Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, Australia, Chile, and South Africa, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:1305–1309. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6937a6.htm
- Control, C.f.D. Flu Activity & Surveillance. 7/8/2020 [cited 2020 9/22/2020]; Garten R,
- Blanton L, Elal AIA, Alabi N, Barnes J, Biggerstaff M, et al. Update: Influenza Activity in the United States During the 2017-18 Season and Composition of the 2018-19 Influenza Vaccine. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018 Jun 8;67(22):634-42.
- Past Seasons Estimated Influenza Disease Burden. 2020. Accessed September 30, 2020.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Flu Vaccination Coverage, United States, 2018-19 Influenza Season. September 26, 2019 [cited 2020 September 30];
- Shrestha SS, Swerdlow DL, Borse RH, Prabhu VS, Finelli L, Atkins CY, et al. Estimating the Burden of 2009 Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) in the United States (April 2009–April 2010). Clin Infect Dis. 2011;52(suppl_1):S75-S82.
- Lees CH, Avery C, Asherin R, Rainbow J, Danila R, Smelser C, et al. Pandemic (H1N1) 2009–associated Deaths Detected by Unexplained Death and Medical Examiner Surveillance. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011;17(8):1479-83.
- Reed C, Chaves SS, Daily Kirley P, Emerson R, Aragon D, Hancock EB, et al. Estimating influenza disease burden from population-based surveillance data in the United States. PLoS One. 2015;10(3):e0118369.
- Rolfes MA, Foppa IM, Garg S, et al. Annual estimates of the burden of seasonal influenza in the United States: A tool for strengthening influenza surveillance and preparedness. Influenza Other Respir Viruses 2018; 12(1): 132–7.
- Reed C, Kim IK, Singleton JA, Chaves SS, Flannery B, Finelli L, et al. Estimated influenza illnesses and hospitalizations averted by vaccination–United States, 2013-14 influenza season. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2014 Dec 12;63(49):1151-4.
- Martin K, Strain A, Reagan-Steiner S, Lynfield R, DeVries A, Lees C, et al. Influenza-associated Pediatr Deaths Identified Through Minnesota’s Unexplained Critical Illness and Death Project – Minnesota, 2004-2017; Abstract 9836. Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologist. West Palm Beach, FL; 2018.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Estimates of deaths associated with seasonal influenza — United States, 1976-2007. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2010 Aug 27;59(33):1057-62.
- Thompson WW, Shay DK, Weintraub E, Brammer L, Bridges CB, Cox NJ, et al. Influenza-associated hospitalizations in the United States. JAMA. 2004 Sep 15;292(11):1333-40.
- Thompson WW, Shay DK, Weintraub E, Brammer L, Cox N, Anderson LJ, et al. Mortality associated with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus in the United States. JAMA. 2003 Jan 8;289(2):179-86.