The burden of influenza in the United States can vary from year to year depending on which viruses are circulating, how many people receive an influenza vaccination, and how effective the vaccination is in that particular year. During the 2023-2024 flu season, around 28,000 people lost their lives to the disease. Although most people recover from influenza without needing medical care, the disease can be deadly among young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses. Deaths due to influenza Even though most people recover from influenza without medical care, influenza and pneumonia can be deadly, especially for older people and those with certain preexisting conditions. Influenza is a common cause of pneumonia and although most cases of influenza do not develop into pneumonia, those that do are often more severe and more deadly. Deaths due to influenza are most common among the elderly, with a mortality rate of around 32 per 100,000 population during the 2023-2024 flu season. In comparison, the mortality rate for those aged 50 to 64 years was 9.1 per 100,000 population. Flu vaccinations The most effective way to prevent influenza is to receive an annual influenza vaccination. These vaccines have proven to be safe and are usually cheap and easily accessible. Nevertheless, every year a large share of the population in the United States still fails to get vaccinated against influenza. For example, in the 2022-2023 flu season, only 35 percent of those aged 18 to 49 years received a flu vaccination. Unsurprisingly, children and the elderly are the most likely to get vaccinated. It is estimated that during the 2022-2023 flu season, vaccinations prevented over 929 thousand influenza cases among children aged 6 months to 4 years.

The graph illustrates the number of flu-related deaths in the United States for each flu season from 2010-2011 to 2023-2024*. The x-axis represents the flu seasons, labeled from '10-11 to '23*-24*, while the y-axis shows the annual number of flu deaths. Throughout this period, flu deaths vary significantly, ranging from a low of 4,900 in the 2021-2022* season to a high of 51,000 in both the 2014-2015 and 2017-2018 seasons. Other notable figures include 36,000 deaths in 2010-2011, 42,000 in 2012-2013, and a recent increase to 28,000 in the 2023*-2024* season. The data exhibits considerable fluctuations with no consistent upward or downward trend, highlighting the variability in flu mortality rates over the years. This information is presented in a line graph format, effectively showcasing the yearly changes and peaks in flu-related deaths across the United States.

*Data for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons are estimated.

During the 2023-2024 flu season in the United States, an estimated 27,965 people died from influenza. The vast majority of deaths due to influenza occur among the elderly, with those aged 65 years and older accounting for 19,038 deaths during the 2023-2024 flu season. During this time, the mortality rate from influenza among those aged 65 years and older was around 32 per 100,000 population, compared to a mortality rate of two per 100,000 population among those aged 18 to 49 years. Influenza deaths Although most people recover from influenza without the need of medical care, influenza and pneumonia are still major causes of death in the United States. Influenza is a common cause of pneumonia and cases in which influenza develops into pneumonia tend to be more severe and more deadly. However, the impact of influenza varies from year to year depending on which viruses are circulating. For example, during the 2017-2018 flu season around 52,000 people died due to influenza, whereas in 2023-2024 total deaths amounted to 28,000. Preventing death The most effective way to prevent influenza is to receive an annual influenza vaccination. These vaccines have proven to be safe and are usually cheap and easily accessible. Each year, flu vaccinations prevent thousands of influenza cases, hospitalizations and deaths. It was estimated that during the 2022-2023 flu season, vaccinations prevented the deaths of around 2,479 people aged 65 years and older.

Influenza and pneumonia caused around 12.3 deaths in the U.S. per 100,000 population in 2019. Influenza and pneumonia are among the leading causes of death in the United States, accounting for around 1.6 percent of all deaths in 2020. Influenza, or the flu, is a viral infection that is highly contagious and especially common in the winter season. Influenza is a common cause of pneumonia, although most cases of the flu do not develop into pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection or inflammation of the lungs and is particularly deadly among young children and the elderly.

Influenza cases

Influenza is very common in the United States, with an estimated 35 million cases reported in 2019-2020. Common symptoms of the flu include cough, fever, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat and headache. Symptoms can be mild but can also be severe enough to require medical attention. In 2019-2020, there were around 16 million influenza-related medical visits in the United States.

Prevention

To prevent contracting the flu people can take everyday precautions such as regularly washing their hands and avoiding those who are sick, but the best way to prevent the flu is by receiving the flu vaccination every year. Receiving a flu vaccination is especially important for young children and the elderly as they are most susceptible to flu complications and associated death. In 2021, around 75 percent of those aged 65 years and older received a flu vaccine, while only 38 percent of those aged 18 to 49 years had done so.

Influenza, also called the flu, is one of the most infectious diseases worldwide. Its symptoms range from mild to severe, and include sore throat, cough, runny nose, fever, headache, and muscle pain, but can also cause severe illness and death among high-risk populations such as the elderly and children. During the 2023-2024 flu season, there were 40 million cases of influenza in the United States. Influenza deaths Although influenza does not require medical attention for most people, it can be deadly, and causes thousands of deaths every year. The impact of influenza varies from year to year. The number of influenza deaths during the 2023-2024 flu season was 27,965. The vast majority of deaths attributed to influenza during the 2023-2024 flu season occurred among those aged 65 years and older. Vaccination An annual influenza vaccination remains the most effective way of preventing influenza. During the 2022-2023 flu season, influenza vaccinations prevented an estimated 2,479 deaths among U.S. adults aged 65 years and older. Although, flu vaccinations are accessible and cheap, a large share of the United States population still fails to get vaccinated every year. In 2022-2023, only 35 percent of those aged 18 to 49 years received a flu vaccination, much lower compared to children and the elderly.

Australia Influenza Mortality jumped by 8% in 2019, from a year earlier.

Deaths counts for influenza, pneumonia, and COVID-19 reported to NCHS by week ending date, by state and HHS region, and age group.

Following the outbreak of the H1N1 influenza pandemic of 1918, which came to be known as the Spanish Flu, the number of deaths due to influenza and pneumonia soared. Pneumonia was caused either by the influenza or by a bacterial superinfection that took hold due to the patient's weakened state as a result of the influenza, for this reason, influenza deaths and pneumonia deaths were recorded together as one. Pennsylvania had the highest mortality rate due to the pandemic, where there were over 880 fatalities per 100,000 people; meaning that approximately 0.9 percent of the state's population died from the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918.

When compared with the 1915 mortality rates, many states, such as California and Pennsylvania, saw their mortality rate due to influenza and pneumonia increase five-fold by 1818, which was the worst year of the pandemic. While the mortality rate decreased significantly in the year 1919, there was no US state where it fell to it's pre-pandemic level, and the 1919 mortality rate was still double the pre-pandemic rate in some states such as California, South Carolina and Washington.

In 2023, the number of deaths from influenza in Japan decreased to 1383 cases, which marked an increase compared to just 24 cases in the previous year. The death rate from influenza amounted to 1.1 death cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023.

Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR). The OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

Pre-release access lists for these reports.

For annual publications for previous winter periods, please see:

• winter 2023 to 2024 report
• winter 2022 to 2023 report
• reports for https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20220401215804/https:/www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-flu-reports" class="govuk-link">winter 2012 to 2013 to winter 2020 to 2021, published by Public Health England (PHE)
• reports for https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20140629102650/http:/www.hpa.org.uk/Publications/InfectiousDiseases/Influenza/" class="govuk-link">winter 2010 to 2011 and winter 2011 to 2012, published by the Health Protection Agency (HPA)

Over 12 million people in the United States died from all causes between the beginning of January 2020 and August 21, 2023. Over 1.1 million of those deaths were with confirmed or presumed COVID-19.

Vaccine rollout in the United States Finding a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine was an urgent health priority since the very start of the pandemic. In the United States, the first two vaccines were authorized and recommended for use in December 2020. One has been developed by Massachusetts-based biotech company Moderna, and the number of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines administered in the U.S. was over 250 million. Moderna has also said that its vaccine is effective against the coronavirus variants first identified in the UK and South Africa.

Provisional counts of the number of death occurrences in England and Wales due to coronavirus (COVID-19) and influenza and pneumonia, by age, sex and place of death.

WHO: Influenza A (H1N1): Number of Deaths: New Zealand data was reported at 3.000 Person in 06 Jul 2009. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.000 Person for 05 Jul 2009. WHO: Influenza A (H1N1): Number of Deaths: New Zealand data is updated daily, averaging 0.000 Person from Apr 2009 (Median) to 06 Jul 2009, with 74 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.000 Person in 06 Jul 2009 and a record low of 0.000 Person in 05 Jul 2009. WHO: Influenza A (H1N1): Number of Deaths: New Zealand data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Health Organization. The data is categorized under High Frequency Database’s Disease Outbreaks – Table WHO.D002: World Heath Organization: Influenza A (H1N1): By Countries.

This file contains the complete set of data reported to 122 Cities Mortality Reposting System. The system was retired as of 10/6/2016. While the system was running each week, the vital statistics offices of 122 cities across the United States reported the total number of death certificates processed and the number of those for which pneumonia or influenza was listed as the underlying or contributing cause of death by age group (Under 28 days, 28 days - 1 year, 1-14 years, 15-24 years, 25-44 years, 45-64 years, 65-74 years, 75-84 years, and - 85 years). U:Unavailable. - : No reported cases.* Mortality data in this table were voluntarily reported from 122 cities in the United States, most of which have populations of >100,000. A death is reported by the place of its occurrence and by the week that the death certificate was filed. Fetal deaths are not included. Total includes unknown ages. More information on Flu Activity & Surveillance is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/fluactivitysurv.htm.