John Elflein
Research expert covering health and health care
Influenza in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts
Influenza, or the flu, is one of the most common infectious diseases in the world. Symptoms range from mild to severe, and include a sore throat, cough, runny nose, fever, headache, and muscle pains. Influenza spreads easily through coughs and sneezes and, although it goes away on its own, can cause more severe illness and even death among high risk populations, including the elderly, young children, and those with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses. Influenza is also a common cause of pneumonia, and symptoms of both diseases are similar, with pneumonia being a more serious infection of the lungs and carrying a higher risk of death. Influenza outbreaks occur yearly around the world, with outbreaks in the United States usually occurring in late fall and winter. Flu symptoms can be treated with over-the-counter products, but the most effective way to prevent the flu is with a yearly flu vaccination. As of 2021, the United Kingdom and South Korea had the highest rates of flu vaccination among the elderly among OECD countries, with the United States reporting the seventh highest rates at that time.
The burden of influenza
In the year 1900, influenza and pneumonia caused around 202 deaths per 100,000 population in the United States, making it the leading cause of death at that time. However, in 2022, influenza and pneumonia were no longer among the ten leading causes of death in the United States. Nevertheless, the burden of influenza and pneumonia is still substantial. For example, it was estimated that during the 2022-2023 flu season there were around 31 million cases of influenza in the U.S. as well as 360,000 hospitalizations due to influenza. Furthermore, it was estimated that influenza was responsible for around 21,000 deaths during the 2022-2023 flu season.Influenza vaccination
Although receiving an annual seasonal influenza vaccination is the best way to protect against influenza, many people in the United States do not get regularly vaccinated. During the 2022-2023 flu season only 35 percent of those aged 18 to 49 years received a flu vaccination, while 70 percent of those aged 65 years and older had been vaccinated. The effectiveness of the influenza vaccine varies from season to season and depends on the age and health status of the receiver. Nevertheless, during the 2022-2023 flu season, it was estimated that influenza vaccinations prevented over 1.9 million influenza cases among children and adolescents aged aged 5 to 17 years, alone. That year influenza vaccinations were also estimated to have prevented 63 deaths among children aged 6 months to 4 years as well as 2,479 deaths among those aged 65 years and older.
