When the flu hits you, it doesn't really matter how prevalent it is across the rest of the country. But if you haven't gotten sick yet, you may be interested in the amount of flu activity in your state so you can be prepared.
Since the flu hits different areas at different times, the CDC reports flu activity weekly and by state. The CDC's weekly "Flu View" tracks flu activity across the country and compares flu activity from the past several flu seasons as well.
Google's Flu Trends tool is not an official flu tracking instrument because it does not collect information from doctors and hospitals that report diagnosed cases of the flu. Instead, they track the number of people that are searching terms related to the flu in each state and several countries around the world. Although it is not official, their results closely relate to those of the CDC.
State Health Departments
If you are looking for more in-depth information about the flu in your state, your local health department may have what you need. Many (but not all) of the state health department websites track flu activity across their states. You may also be able to find out where to get a flu vaccine near you -- possibly even for free.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico (Spanish)
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Virgin Islands
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
International Locations
If you don't live in the United States, that doesn't mean the flu isn't near you. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other countries also keep track of flu activity around the world. If you are looking for information about flu activity somewhere other than the United States, try these sources:
- World Health Organization
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
- Public Health Agency of Canada
- Health Protection Agency (United Kingdom)
- WHO in Australia
- WHO in Japan
Whether the flu has come to where you live or not, you should still take all the steps you can to prepare.
- Have you had your flu shot?
- Are you prepared for a flu pandemic?
If you are sick and wondering if your symptoms could be caused by the flu, take our quick and easy quiz to get the answers you are looking for:
Source:
"Surveillance & Flu Activity." Seasonal Flu 20 Aug 07. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 27 Sep 07.
