Influenza Reaches Epidemic Levels in Major Cities

ATLANTA —  Influenza has reached epidemic levels in the nation’s major cities, with flu and pneumonia accounting for more than 5% of all deaths, federal health officials said Thursday.

The national Centers for Disease Control said 778 deaths caused by influenza and pneumonia, the latter a frequent complication of the flu, were reported from 121 major U.S. cities for the week ending Jan. 19.

“The percentage of death certificates that indicate pneumonia-influenza as the cause of death has been increasing in the past few weeks,” Dr. Karl Kappus of the disease center’s influenza surveillance branch said. “It is now 5.5%, which is historically indicative of an influenza epidemic.”

In addition to the major cities, rural Wyoming reported widespread outbreaks and eight states--California, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Utah--listed regional outbreaks for the week that ended Saturday.