South Carolina Hits 20,000 Flu Cases, 30 Deaths in Tough 2024-25 Season
A severe flu outbreak has hit South Carolina hard, with 20,299 confirmed cases and 30 deaths reported. The virus sent 2,098 sick people to hospitals as the season got worse. Last week was especially rough. Hospitals took in 606 new patients across 64 locations. New numbers show a whopping 5,711 positive tests between Jan. 12-18, breaking past the 14,000-case total from early January. The virus hit older adults the hardest. Among the 13 people who died this week, most were seniors over 65. The Upstate saw the highest death count with 19, while the Midlands and Pee Dee each lost five people. One person died in the Lowcountry.
The CDC gave South Carolina its highest flu activity rating. Right next door, Georgia is dealing with similar outbreaks. Vaccination numbers dropped significantly, only 18.3% of people got their flu shots. That’s 952,000 people protected, down from 22.7% last year.
The national picture looks even worse. The virus infected 16 million Americans, put 190,000 in hospitals, and killed 8,300 people across the country. Lab tests show weekly increases in positive cases. Southern states in Region 6 led with 32.2%, while the northwest’s Region 10 remained lowest at 16.2%. Two flu types are leading the charge: A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2). Type A caused almost all hospitalizations at 97.3%, with type B accounting for just 2.1%.
Emergency rooms are struggling with rising flu visits. The National Syndromic Surveillance System counted 5.2% of all ER visits as flu-related this week. Four more children died nationwide, bringing youth deaths to 31 this season. South Carolina lost one child in the Midlands.
Weekly hospital rates reached 6.1 per 100,000 people. For the entire season, that number is at 40.8 per 100,000 residents – showing just how bad this outbreak has become.
