CDC warns flu season ‘severe’ — but then says it’s normal, not ‘terribly severe’

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a somewhat confusing assessment of this year’s influenza strain, warning first of a “severe” season and then clarifying that well, it’s not that different from past seasons.

It won’t be “terribly severe,” said Michael Jhung, a medical officer with the CDC’s influenza division, speaking of the ongoing flu season to FoxNews.com. “We’re seeing things that we see every year. We’re not seeing dramatically higher elves of flu activity than we see every year.”

At the same time, the CDC put out a warning of a possible “severe” flu season, with some media outlets reporting of the agency’s tagging of the situation as an “epidemic,” CNN said.

The CDC said late Tuesday that the flu is now “widespread” in 36 states, resulting in the deaths of 15 children — a situation CNN said was “epidemic” based on the agency’s own data.

Mr. Jhung also said to FoxNews.com that this year’s vaccine may not be as effective as previous years, but that those most vulnerable — the elderly and young — ought to get their shots.

“We’re not even halfway through the flu season,” he said, FoxNews.com reported. “It’s certainly not too late to get vaccinated.”