SC has more flu than almost every other state, CDC map shows. See where cases are spiking most

South Carolina has been swarmed with flu cases compared to most other states, the latest data shows.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, South Carolina is one of only four states currently with the highest rate of flu activity that the agency reports. The other three states are Alabama, Tennessee and Virginia.

To view the CDC flu map in detail, click here or just look at the image below.

The rest of the Southeast isn’t far behind, with Georgia, Mississippi and North Carolina just one step below the highest possible flu activity level.

Flu season began earlier than usual this year and cases have risen fast.

There have been 28,797 total reported cases in South Carolina since flu season began this year as of the week of Nov. 13, the latest data from the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control shows. That’s more than 81 times the number of cases reported during the same period last year.

The latest flu data does shows a slight week-over-week slowdown in new reported cases, but an uptick in flu-related deaths.

There were 3,663 new flu cases reported in the state the week of Nov. 13, compared to 4,739 reported a week earlier.

Meanwhile, there were five new flu-related deaths reported the week of Nov. 13, compared to one death reported the previous week. There have been 16 total flu-related deaths reported so far this year. Of those, five were in the Midlands, five were in the Low Country, four were in the Upstate and two were in the Pee Dee region.

The latest data also shows that 7.4% of patient visits to healthcare providers were for flu-like illness, which was above the state’s 3.6% baseline. And there were 231 flu-associated hospitalizations reported by 55 hospitals in the state. There have been 1,246 such hospitalizations reported so far this season.

Here are all the counties that reported flu activity above the state baseline for the week of Nov. 13.

The DHEC and the CDC recommend that everyone 6 months old and older get vaccinated against the flu. Vaccination to prevent flu is particularly important for people who are at increased risk of complications from the virus, including young children, adults aged 50 years and older, pregnant women and people with certain chronic medical conditions, DHEC says.

For details on where to get flu shots in South Carolina, click here.

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