Flu starting to wane in US after brutal start to season

NEW YORK (AP) — Flu is decreasing in many parts of the U.S. after an alarmingly early and strong start to the season.

The number of flu hospital admissions fell for the second week in a row, according to a national surveillance system run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And the percentage of doctor's office visits due to fever and other flu-like symptoms has dropped for three weeks in a row.

“It looks like for this first wave of (flu) activity, maybe we've seen the worst of that,” said the CDC's Lynnette Brammer, who leads the government agency’s tracking of flu in the United States.

But she added there is still a lot flu spreading out there. CDC data indicates flu activity last week was high or very high in 45 states.