Influenza activity in the United States was under control during the week ending on Feb. 13, with most key flu indicators below the threshold of pandemic or national baselines, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Friday.

"During week six (Feb. 7 to 13), 7.7 percent of all deaths reported through the 122-Cities Mortality Reporting System were due to pneumonia and influenza (P&I). This percentage, slightly higher over the previous week (7.3 percent), but remained below the epidemic threshold of 7.8 percent for week six," the CDC said on its web site.

The epidemic threshold is a certain percentage above what is considered normal for that period. The normal level, or baseline, is statistically determined based on data from past flu seasons.

Since last October, when the A/H1N1 pandemic peaked and as many as 48 states had widespread activity of the new virus, the proportion of deaths attributed to P&I based on the 122 Cities Report had been above the epidemic threshold for 11 weeks running.

As the A/H1N1 flu began to wane in December, the proportion of deaths linked to P&I based on the 122 Cities Report was dipping below the epidemic threshold in week 50 of 2009, but bouncing back in week 51. After that, it remained below the epidemic threshold for two more weeks, but bounced back again during the second week of 2010 and remained below the threshold for four more weeks.

It is also the case with the visits to doctors for influenza-like illness which remained at 2.1 percent during week six, below the national baseline of 2.3 percent for this time of year, the CDC added.

Most importantly, no U.S. states reported widespread influenza activity during week six, according to the CDC.

Only three states reported regional, nine states reported local and other states reported sporadic influenza activities during week six, the CDC said.

As the flu activity remained stable across the country, more and more people are talking about a goodbye to the pandemic of the A/H1N1.

But federal and local health officials have not given up. They have been running television and radio ads, urging people to get fully-vaccinated to protect themselves against a possible third wave of the pandemic.

"We"e;ve got a lot of vaccine, and it"e;s everywhere," said David Paulson, spokesman for Maryland"e;s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Enditem

Source: Xinhua