What to know
Each year ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø estimates the burden of influenza in the United States. ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø uses models to estimate the number of flu illnesses, medical visits, hospitalizations, and deaths related to flu that occurred in a given season. ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø uses the estimates of the burden of flu in the population and the impact of flu vaccination to inform policy and communications related to flu.
Overview
Preliminary In-Season Disease Burden Estimates
Estimated Range of Annual Burden of Flu in the US from 2010 – 2024
The burden of flu disease in the United States can vary widely and is determined by a number of factors including the characteristics of circulating viruses, the timing of the season, how well flu vaccine is working to protect against illness, and how many people got vaccinated. While the burden of flu can vary, each year flu places a substantial burden on the health of people in the United States each year.
ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø estimates that flu has resulted in 9.3 million – 41 million illnesses, 120,000 – 710,000 hospitalizations and 6,300 – 52,000 deaths annually between 2010 and 2024.
Estimated U.S. Flu Burden, By Season
Estimates are not available for the 2020-2021 season due to minimal flu activity.
Supporting Research
Flu-related illness and hospitalization
United States
- Study: . Flu Other Respir Viruses. 2018
- Study: PLoS One. 2015
- Study: . Emerg Infect Dis. 2015
- Study: . Clin Infect Dis. 2012
- Study: . JAMA. 2004
Global
- Study: . Lancet. 2017
- Study: . PLoS Med. 2016
- Web article: .
Visit Flu Burden Averted by Vaccination for ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø estimates of flu-related illness and hospitalization averted by vaccination.
Flu-related deaths
- Q&A: Estimating Seasonal Flu-Associated Deaths in the United States: ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø Study Confirms Variability of Flu.
- Background on ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø web site: .
- Study: Estimates of deaths associated with seasonal flu—United States, 1976–2007. MMWR. 2010
- Study: . JAMA. 2003
Economic impact of flu
- Study: . Vaccine. 2007
- ÐÇ¿ÕÓéÀÖ¹ÙÍø Foundation: .