Regis Duvignau/Reuters
This flu season is on a trajectory to be one of the worst in decades, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top doc. “The initial indicators indicate this is not going to be a good season,” Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, said. “This is going to be a bad season.” Since the flu season officially started in October, 2,900 people in the U.S. have died of the virus, which is 800 more than what was estimated, according to figures released Friday by the CDC. The figures also report 6.4 million flu illnesses and 55,000 hospitalizations. Fauci did say that it is possible that the steep rise in hospitalizations and reports of flu could reverse itself, but he had so far not seen any indication of such a recovery. “Hopefully this turns around and comes down,” he told CNN. “But if it continues on the trajectory it’s on, it’s not going to be good.”