The 2017-2018 flu season resulted in more than 700,000 hospitalizations in the United States, and 183 deaths in children. Overall hospitalization rates (for all ages) during 2017-18 were the highest ever recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveillance system.
Eighty-five percent of U.S. flu deaths among children occurred in those who were not vaccinated against influenza. Overall, the 2017-18 influenza vaccine was deemed 40 percent effective against the influenza A and B strains.
The predominant influenza A strain in 2017-18 was H3N2, and we anticipate that H3N2 will be a dominant strain in 2018-19.