This year's flu season one of the least active in history

ATLANTA It looks as though the 2008/2009 influenza season will go down as one of the least active seasons in history, having started slower than even the anemic 2006/2007 season, and not spiking to significantly higher illness levels, as was the case last year.

For the week ended March 21, 2.6% of the patient visits tracked through the U.S. Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network were in fact because of influenza-like illnesses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday, just 20 basis points above the national baseline. And the prevalence of influenza-like illnesses has dropped for the fourth consecutive week, signifying that this year’s season is near its end.

Widespread influenza activity (at least half of the regions within the state) was still reported in 24 states; while another 19 states reported regional activity (less than half but more than one). Influenza activity in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah have all dropped to localized activity (one region reported activity). West Virginia and the District of Columbia reported sporadic activity (at least one lab reported activity).