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.

Influenza and pneumonia caused around 10.9 deaths in the U.S. per 100,000 population in 2023. 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 40 million cases reported in 2023-2024. 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 2023-2024, there were around 18 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 2024, around 70 percent of those aged 65 years and older received a flu vaccine, while only 33 percent of those aged 18 to 49 years had done so.

The mortality rate from influenza in the United States is by far highest among those aged 65 years and older. During the 2023-2024 flu season, the mortality rate from influenza for this age group was around 32.1 per 100,000 population. The burden of influenza The impact of influenza in the U.S. varies from season to season, but in the 2023-2024 flu season, there were an estimated 40 million cases. These cases resulted in around 470,000 hospitalizations. Although most people recover from influenza without requiring medical treatment, the disease can be deadly for young children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses. During the 2023-2024 flu season, around 28,000 people in the U.S. lost their lives due to influenza. Impact of vaccinations The most effective way to prevent influenza is to receive an annual vaccination at the beginning of flu season. Flu vaccines are safe and can greatly reduce the burden of the disease. During the 2022-2023 flu season, vaccinations prevented around 2,479 deaths among those aged 65 years and older. Although flu vaccines are usually cheap and easily accessible, every year a large share of the population in the U.S. still does not get vaccinated. For example, during the 2022-2023 flu season, only about 35 percent of those aged 18 to 49 years received a flu vaccination.

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.

The flu is estimated to cause 400,000 respiratory deaths each year on average across the world. These deaths come from pneumonia and other respiratory symptoms caused by the flu. People also die from other complications of the flu – such as a stroke or heart attack – but global estimates have not been made of their death toll. The Spanish flu caused the largest influenza pandemic in history. Yet, data on the flu is limited. With better testing, countries could improve their response to flu epidemics. It could help to rapidly identify new strains, detect epidemics early, and design better-matched vaccines to target flu strains circulating in the population.

this data set contains the vaccine coverage around the world from 2018 to 2022.

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.

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.

Project Tycho datasets contain case counts for reported disease conditions for countries around the world. The Project Tycho data curation team extracts these case counts from various reputable sources, typically from national or international health authorities, such as the US Centers for Disease Control or the World Health Organization. These original data sources include both open- and restricted-access sources. For restricted-access sources, the Project Tycho team has obtained permission for redistribution from data contributors. All datasets contain case count data that are identical to counts published in the original source and no counts have been modified in any way by the Project Tycho team. The Project Tycho team has pre-processed datasets by adding new variables, such as standard disease and location identifiers, that improve data interpretabilty. We also formatted the data into a standard data format.

Each Project Tycho dataset contains case counts for a specific condition (e.g. measles) and for a specific country (e.g. The United States). Case counts are reported per time interval. In addition to case counts, datsets include information about these counts (attributes), such as the location, age group, subpopulation, diagnostic certainty, place of aquisition, and the source from which we extracted case counts. One dataset can include many series of case count time intervals, such as "US measles cases as reported by CDC", or "US measles cases reported by WHO", or "US measles cases that originated abroad", etc.

Depending on the intended use of a dataset, we recommend a few data processing steps before analysis:

• Analyze missing data: Project Tycho datasets do not inlcude time intervals for which no case count was reported (for many datasets, time series of case counts are incomplete, due to incompleteness of source documents) and users will need to add time intervals for which no count value is available. Project Tycho datasets do include time intervals for which a case count value of zero was reported.
• Separate cumulative from non-cumulative time interval series. Case count time series in Project Tycho datasets can be "cumulative" or "fixed-intervals". Cumulative case count time series consist of overlapping case count intervals starting on the same date, but ending on different dates. For example, each interval in a cumulative count time series can start on January 1st, but end on January 7th, 14th, 21st, etc. It is common practice among public health agencies to report cases for cumulative time intervals. Case count series with fixed time intervals consist of mutually exxclusive time intervals that all start and end on different dates and all have identical length (day, week, month, year). Given the different nature of these two types of case count data, we indicated this with an attribute for each count value, named "PartOfCumulativeCountSeries".

BackgroundThe historical Japanese influenza vaccination program targeted at schoolchildren provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the indirect benefits of vaccinating high-transmitter groups to mitigate disease burden among seniors. Here we characterize the indirect mortality benefits of vaccinating schoolchildren based on data from Japan and the US. MethodsWe compared age-specific influenza-related excess mortality rates in Japanese seniors aged ≥65 years during the schoolchildren vaccination program (1978–1994) and after the program was discontinued (1995–2006). Indirect vaccine benefits were adjusted for demographic changes, socioeconomics and dominant influenza subtype; US mortality data were used as a control. ResultsWe estimate that the schoolchildren vaccination program conferred a 36% adjusted mortality reduction among Japanese seniors (95%CI: 17–51%), corresponding to ∼1,000 senior deaths averted by vaccination annually (95%CI: 400–1,800). In contrast, influenza-related mortality did not change among US seniors, despite increasing vaccine coverage in this population. ConclusionsThe Japanese schoolchildren vaccination program was associated with substantial indirect mortality benefits in seniors.

this graph was created in OurDataWorld, R , Loocker and Tableau

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Introduction: Seasonal influenza, often perceived as a common illness, carries a significant global burden, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives annually. Despite advancements in healthcare and vaccination efforts, the flu remains a formidable threat, particularly affecting vulnerable populations such as infants and the elderly. This article delves into the intricacies of influenza-related mortality, examining regional disparities, contributing factors, and the implications for public health.

The Global Landscape of Influenza Mortality: Data from the Global Pandemic Mortality Project II sheds light on the magnitude of influenza-related deaths, drawing from surveillance metrics spanning from 2002 to 2011. These estimates, while informative, underscore the challenge of accurately gauging mortality rates, especially in low-income countries where testing and mortality records may be lacking.

Respiratory Symptoms and Beyond: The conventional understanding of influenza-related fatalities primarily revolves around respiratory complications. Pneumonia and other respiratory ailments serve as prominent causes of death, contributing to the staggering toll of 400,000 lives claimed annually. However, it is imperative to acknowledge that the impact of influenza extends beyond respiratory symptoms. Complications such as strokes and heart attacks, though not explicitly captured in mortality estimates, further amplify the disease's lethality, warranting comprehensive preventive measures.

Vulnerability Across Age Groups: Influenza's lethality is not uniform across age demographics. Infants and the elderly emerge as the most susceptible cohorts, bearing the brunt of severe complications and mortality. Among individuals aged over 65, the mortality rate stands at approximately 31 per 100,000 in Europe alone, reflecting the disproportionate impact on older populations. The interplay of age-related factors, including weakened immune responses and underlying health conditions, exacerbates the severity of influenza outcomes among these groups.

Regional Disparities and Determinants: A notable aspect of influenza mortality lies in its disparate distribution across regions. While Europe and North America exhibit relatively lower death rates, countries in South America, Africa, and South Asia grapple with higher mortality burdens. This regional divide underscores the complex interplay of socio-economic factors, healthcare accessibility, and vaccination coverage. Poverty, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, and suboptimal vaccination rates converge to heighten vulnerability to influenza-related complications, amplifying mortality rates in resource-constrained settings.

Implications for Public Health: The revelation of significant regional differentials in influenza mortality necessitates a tailored approach to public health interventions. Strengthening healthcare systems, particularly in low-income regions, is paramount to bolstering surveillance, enhancing diagnostic capabilities, and facilitating timely interventions. Furthermore, targeted vaccination campaigns, coupled with education initiatives, hold promise in mitigating influenza's toll, especially among vulnerable populations. Addressing socio-economic disparities and bolstering healthcare resilience emerge as pivotal strategies in fortifying global defenses against seasonal influenza.

Conclusion: Seasonal influenza, often underestimated in its impact, exacts a substantial toll on global health each year. The multifaceted nature of influenza-related mortality underscores the need for a nuanced understanding and comprehensive mitigation strategies. By addressing regional disparities, prioritizing vulnerable populations, and fortifying healthcare systems, the global community can strive towards mitigating the burden of seasonal influenza, safeguarding lives, and fostering resilient health systems for generations to come.

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.

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.

Context

New York has presented the most cases compared to all states across the U.S..There have also been critiques regarding how much more unnoticed impact the flu has caused. My dataset allows us to compare whether or not this is true according to the most recent data.

Content

This COVID-19 data is from Kaggle whereas the New York influenza data comes from the U.S. government health data website. I merged the two datasets by county and FIPS code and listed the most recent reports of 2020 COVID-19 cases and deaths alongside the 2019 known influenza cases for comparison.

Acknowledgements

I am thankful to Kaggle and the U.S. government for making the data that made this possible openly available.

Inspiration

This data can be extended to answer the common misconceptions of the scale of the COVID-19 and common flu. My inspiration stems from supporting conclusions with data rather than simply intuition.

I would like my data to help answer how we can make U.S. citizens realize what diseases are most impactful.

TABLE III. Deaths in 122 U.S. cities - 2014.
122 Cities Mortality Reporting System — Each week, the vital statistics offices of 122 cities across the United States report 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).

FOOTNOTE:
U: Unavailable. —: No reported cases.

• Mortality data in this table are 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.

† Pneumonia and influenza.

§ Because of changes in reporting methods in this Pennsylvania city, these numbers are partial counts for the current week. Complete counts will be available in 4 to 6 weeks.

¶ Total includes unknown ages.

More information on Flu Activity & Surveillance is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/fluactivitysurv.htm.