For the first time since the pandemic began, more individuals in the U.S. succumbed to influenza than to COVID-19 in the week ending January 25, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
During the week concluding on January 25, nearly 1.7% of all deaths across the nation were attributed to the flu, while roughly 1.5% were due to COVID-19, according to the CDC’s data. Hospitalization rates for influenza are over three times higher than those for COVID-19 amid this season’s record wave of flu cases.
Preliminary CDC data suggest that influenza deaths might have reached as high as 2% of all fatalities for the week ending February 1, once again surpassing COVID-19 mortality, which remained around 1.5%. Comprehensive data is anticipated to be released on Friday.
In 22 states, the rate of influenza deaths has consistently outperformed COVID-19 deaths in the initial five weeks of 2025.
The disparity between flu and COVID-19 deaths is most pronounced in California, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, and Wyoming, where the weekly percentage of deaths caused by the flu is at least double that of COVID-19.
Health officials monitor the weekly death percentages as an early measure of trends in flu and COVID-19 mortality, as there is often a delay in confirming and recording all deaths.
The agency’s modelers project that between 13,000 and 65,000 flu-related deaths have occurred this season, already exceeding the total deaths from influenza in the previous season.
This estimate also surpasses the CDC’s projected range of 18,000 to 31,000 deaths from COVID-19 that have occurred this winter.
This winter’s COVID-19 wave has been significantly smaller compared to prior waves of the virus, as evidenced by emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
Unlike previous waves, no new highly mutated variants of the COVID-19 virus have emerged to instigate a significant surge in infections. Additionally, vaccination rates among vulnerable older adults have surpassed those in previous seasons, according to the CDC.
In contrast, CDC has observed influenza activity rising to some of the highest levels since the swine flu pandemic in 2009. The CDC indicated that levels are “very high” in 33 states and the District of Columbia as of Friday.
Influenza vaccination rates have lagged in certain age groups, particularly among children, with less than 45% having received a flu shot, a decline from over 58% this time last year in 2020.
“First and foremost, anyone who has not been vaccinated against the flu this season should seek vaccination immediately, as flu activity remains elevated and continues to grow across the country,” CDC spokesperson Paul Prince stated in a release on February 10.
Several factors, such as the circulating flu viruses and individual immunity from past infections and vaccinations, can influence flu activity in the U.S., he noted.
“While the dynamics of flu activity and season severity cannot be predicted and can fluctuate from season to season, it is expected that flu activity will remain elevated and continue to rise at this time of year,” Prince added.
