US flu activity down, but high in Hawaii and Oklahoma

U.S. flu activity continued to decrease during the week ending Feb. 22, but was high in Hawaii and Oklahoma, federal health officials say. The weekly flu report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said of 6,813 specimens tested and reported during week, 10.8 percent were positive for influenza, down from the week before. Nine influenza-associated pediatric deaths were reported to the CDC -- one occurred last week and the rest in January and earlier in February. Minnesota and Texas experienced moderate influenza-like illness activity, while Arkansas, California, Delaware, Kansas, Louisiana, New Jersey, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin reported low influenza-like illness. New York City, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming reported minimal influenza-like illness. Widespread influenza activity -- more than half of the state's counties reporting flu -- was reported by: Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Vermont and Virginia. Regional influenza activity was reported by: Arkansas, California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin. Local influenza activity was reported by Alaska, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming. Sporadic influenza activity was reported by Alabama, Colorado, Hawaii and Nevada.