December 17, 2025- Flu and respiratory illness cases have been ramping up across the nation. There have been about 3 million confirmed cases of the flu across the U.S. with at least 1,200 deaths and cases are expected to rise over the holidays with a new flu variant, according to ABC News. Additionally, CDC data through Dec. 6 showed that 8.05% (4,779) of the 59,364 flu tests administered that week were reported positive to the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System. In some regions, specifically in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming, that number was as high as over 20%, according to USA Today.