The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that flu-related hospital admissions rose in four federal health regions during the week ending Oct. 17, including Region 1 — New England, which covers Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
The CDC’s FluSurv-NET system recorded a weekly rate of laboratory-confirmed influenza hospitalizations of 1.1 per 100,000 people, unchanged from the prior week but the highest for this week of the season since 2010-11, the agency said. After adjusting for reporting delays, the CDC estimated the true rate likely ranges from 1.5 to 2.0 per 100,000.
What the numbers show
- Hospitals reporting to the National Healthcare Safety Network logged 4,811 flu admissions for the week, a rate of 1.4 per 100,000.
- Test positivity at clinical laboratories reached 5.7%.
- Outpatient visits for influenza-like illness were 2.2%, below the national baseline of 2.9%.
The CDC called national seasonal influenza activity “low” overall but noted it is increasing in many parts of the country. The agency’s regional breakdown highlighted climbing admissions in Region 1 (New England), Region 4 (the Southeast), Region 6 (including Texas and neighboring states) and Region 10 (the Pacific Northwest).
Region 1’s rise in hospital admissions means New Hampshire hospitals and public health officials are seeing signals of earlier-than-usual flu activity this season. The CDC said the combination of rising regional hospital admissions and increasing test positivity suggests the virus is beginning to reach hospitals sooner than in some previous years.
Public health context and timing
The CDC’s weekly FluView update covers multiple surveillance systems, including laboratory testing, outpatient visits for influenza-like illness and hospitalization surveillance. Officials noted that although transmission models indicate growth in many states, the hospital data provide a clearer signal of where patients are already requiring inpatient care.
The agency’s commentary on the data emphasized the season is still at an early stage, and the week’s figures represent an initial uptick compared with prior years for the same week. The CDC’s numbers for the week ending Oct. 17 reflect reporting that health departments and hospitals submitted to national surveillance systems.
State and local public health authorities typically use these national surveillance indicators to time public messaging about vaccination and to prepare hospitals for potential increases in patients with influenza and flu-related complications.
Health providers and hospitals in New Hampshire did not issue systemwide statements in the CDC bulletin. Local clinicians and public health officials often reiterate standard seasonal guidance on prevention and vaccination when surveillance shows rising activity.
The CDC’s FluView updates are posted weekly and will continue to track changes in laboratory positivity, outpatient visits, and hospitalizations as the season progresses.
