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By Anita Wadhwani

Tennessee Lookout
Tennessee has among the highest rates of flu and flu-like illness in the nation with a post-holiday surge driving one in every ten outpatient visits at the close of 2024, according data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Northeast Tennessee experienced the state’s highest surge in respiratory illness, the weekly snapshot of flu-like illness data, which spans Dec. 22-28, showed.

Ballad Health, the dominant hospital chain in the state’s northeast region, reported nearly 600 cases over two days earlier this week and an average of 202 cases per day the prior week. In response to the “rapid surge in these illnesses,”  the hospital system has required hospital and medical office staff to wear masks during all patient interactions and implemented visitor restrictions.

“Flu cases are expected to continue increasing,” a public statement by the hospital this week said. New flu data is not expected to be made public until Jan. 14.

Tennessee is among six states experiencing the largest outbreaks of flu and flu-like illnesses in the country. The other states with “very high” levels are Kentucky, Oregon, Idaho, New Mexico and Louisiana.

 

Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.    Follow Tennessee Lookout on Facebook and Twitter.