The CDC issued it’s final analysis for the flu season in the past week and they confirmed the mildest flu season in recent history. This is based on very complete data that they have been collecting since 1997.
Probably, this occurred as a result of the new strain of Influenza Virus (the swine flu or H1N1 strain) that changed in the 2009-2010 season. That new flu strain was very active and caused a high degree of infection. The next year (last year) showed significant flu as well, as the group without exposure in the previous year now was getting infected. This year, the last few people who had missed the previous two years were the final ones to get infection and this left a very limited number of people susceptible.
Yet…..there is still some flu here in Arizona. This is very late in the season and quite unusual. There were 88 cases in AZ last week, so to be aware that despite the mild season, we are having a trailing-off of cases that will inger for a few more weeks through the summer.