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Flu cases are on the rise again in the U.S., according to data published Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Why it matters: With the recent emergence of the Omicron variant, the country faces the dual threat of surging COVID cases and influenza, leaving millions of Americans vulnerable and straining health care resources.
- Last year, the U.S. had very few flu cases, mostly due to preventative measures such as widespread masking, capacity limits and social distancing, Axios' Marisa Fernandez writes.
- States reporting high numbers of flu cases are New Mexico, Kansas, Indiana, New Jersey, Tennessee, Georgia and North Dakota, according to CDC data.
Between the lines: Fewer people in the U.S. have received a flu shot compared with last year, potentially fueling the rise in infections, according to AP.
- The most commonly cited reason for participants not to get a vaccine continues to be disbelief in the shot's effectiveness at 39%, according to an October survey from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.