‘Swine flu’ returns in US, rise of children, young adults deaths

The global 2009 H1N1 virus pandemic is back in the United States, according to officials.

This season the resurgence of the ‘swine flu’ deaths is on a dramatic rise across the country among young and middle-aged adults and in children, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

The death tolls are remarkably higher than last year, despite being still much lower than four years ago.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the flu has been killing at epidemic levels since mid-January.

As the flu season ends in March or April, the CDC says there are still high numbers of visitors to doctors for flu symptoms in some states. In some cases there is even an increase in the activity.

The flu normally affects the very old and the very young, but this time 60% of those hospitalized for influenza were aged between 18 to 64.

“These severe flu outcomes are a reminder that flu can be a very serious disease for anyone, including young, previously healthy adults,” CDC spokesman Jason McDonald said.

California has seen a severe outbreak with 243 deaths of those younger than 65 this year. Forty one more cases were reported but not confirmed. Last year, there were only 26 deaths by this time while 527 died in the 2009-10 season.

The Washington Post also names areas like Virginia and Maryland, DC, San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, North Carolina as being affected by the flu.

The virus has been constantly changing genetically ever since, according to the World Health Organization, which tracks the disease.