Dec 27, 2021 - Health

Flu cases on the rise in the U.S.

Yacob Reyes

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images — Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

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.

Go deeper: Experts fear a bad flu season on top of COVID

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Flu cases on the rise in the U.S.

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