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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday released its latest weekly U.S. influenza report, noting that flu activity “increased sharply” Dec. 17-23, Week 51 of 2017. Influenza activity is now considered “widespread” in 36 states, including California, up from 23 last week and 12 the week before that. (McGough, 12/30)

The flu has gotten off to an early and fatal start in the Bay Area and the rest of California, though whether this season will go down as more severe or longer lasting than usual remains to be seen, public health and infectious disease experts said. As of Dec. 16, the date of the most recent report from the California Department of Public Health, 10 people under age 65 had died from influenza-related illness statewide. (Allday, 12/31)

Allina Health is restricting visitors at its 12 Twin Cities hospitals and its eye institute to protect patients and staff from influenza. Seasonal flu is now widespread throughout Minnesota, state health officials said in a weekly flu update Thursday, with the number of cases rising sharply for the second consecutive week. (Prather, 12/31)

Concerned with this year’s predominant circulating flu strain, health officials are asking providers to prescribe antiviral medications as soon as possible, particularly to hospitalized and high risk patients, and to put flu high on their list of diagnoses when examining sick patients. This season’s common flu strain — Influenza A(H3N2) — is associated with more hospitalizations and deaths. (Miller, 12/29)

Starting Wednesday morning, visiting patients at The University of Chicago Medical Center will be a bit more difficult. As flu season picks up, the hospital won’t allow children under 12, or anyone having a fever, cough or runny nose to enter as a visitor. “It’s not for the sake of being mean-spirited, it really is for the health and safety of our patients,” said Dr. Allison Bartlett, assistant professor of pediatric infectious disease at U. of C. Medicine. (Hartz, 12/26)