157 Flu Statistics And Facts You Should Know

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About 9 to 45 million people become ill with the flu each year in the U.S., and between 12,000 and 61,000 of those people die.

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Strains and Types
Flu Beginnings
How Flu Spreads
Flu Season
Vaccination
Death Rate

As of September 26, 2022, it’s too early to tell which strain of flu will be circulating during the upcoming flu season. However, the CDC recommends that the current flu vaccine contain an influenza A (H1N1)-like virus, an influenza A (H3N2)-like virus and two influenza B viruses. The last flu season (2021 to 2022) was low in terms of severity, although flu activity continued through June, per the CDC. Influenza A was the most dominant strain by far. During the last flu season, public health labs in the U.S. reported that influenza A accounted for 99.5 percent of all influenza samples, with influenza B accounting for just 0.5 percent, according to the CDC. Of the influenza A viruses, most (more than 99 percent) were H3N2, and the majority of influenza B viruses were of Victoria lineage, according to the CDC. Unlike the past two flu seasons, which had low activity, perhaps as a result of COVID-19 protection protocols, this one is may be more severe. Many COVID-19-related safety measures, such as wearing masks, are no longer as common. Plus, Australia, which has an earlier flu season, had a more severe flu season. As of September 11, 2022, there have been 223,678 cases of influenza, per the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. Compare that to Australia’s 2021 flu season, when flu activity was low, with 598 laboratory-confirmed cases from January through November 2021, according to the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.

The last flu season (2021 to 2022) was low in terms of severity, although flu activity continued through June, per the CDC. Influenza A was the most dominant strain by far. During the last flu season, public health labs in the U.S. reported that influenza A accounted for 99.5 percent of all influenza samples, with influenza B accounting for just 0.5 percent, according to the CDC.

Of the influenza A viruses, most (more than 99 percent) were H3N2, and the majority of influenza B viruses were of Victoria lineage, according to the CDC.

Unlike the past two flu seasons, which had low activity, perhaps as a result of COVID-19 protection protocols, this one is may be more severe. Many COVID-19-related safety measures, such as wearing masks, are no longer as common.

Plus, Australia, which has an earlier flu season, had a more severe flu season. As of September 11, 2022, there have been 223,678 cases of influenza, per the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. Compare that to Australia’s 2021 flu season, when flu activity was low, with 598 laboratory-confirmed cases from January through November 2021, according to the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.

Flu season Predominant virus(es) Number of deaths 2010 to 2011 Influenza A (H3N2) Influenza A (H1N1pdm09) 37,000 2011 to 2012 Influenza A (H3N2) 12,000 2012 to 2013 Influenza A (H3N2) 43,000 2013 to 2014 Influenza A (H1N1pdm09) 38,000 2014 to 2015 Influenza A (H3N2) 51,000 2015 to 2016 Influenza A (H1N1pdm09) 23,000 2016 to 2017 Influenza A (H3N2) 38,000 *2017 to 2018 Influenza A (H3N2) 61,000 *2018 to 2019 Influenza A (H1N1pdm09) 34,000 *2019 to 2020 [unavailable] 22,000

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Influenza A (H1N1pdm09)

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention