LOS ANGELES, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- The United States has recorded at least 20 million illnesses so far this flu season, according to the latest estimates released Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC said seasonal influenza activity remains elevated nationwide and increased during the week ending Jan. 24, after three consecutive weeks of decline.
The agency estimated that the current flu season has resulted in at least 20 million illnesses, 270,000 hospitalizations, and 11,000 deaths.
Week 52 marked the second-highest weekly peak for influenza-related hospitalizations since the 2010-2011 season. Notably, children under 18 experienced the highest weekly hospitalization rate observed in over a decade, according to CDC.
Influenza A (H3N2) viruses have been the most commonly reported strains so far this season. While influenza A activity has remained stable, influenza B activity is increasing nationally, the CDC noted.
In the United States, the flu season usually occurs in the fall and winter, with peak activity usually occurring between December and February, according to the agency.
The CDC continues to urge everyone aged six months and older who has not yet received a flu vaccine this season to do so as soon as possible. Approximately 130 million doses of influenza vaccine have been distributed in the U.S. this season.
