Flu hangs on in US, fading in some areas and intensifying in others

By MIKE STOBBE
AP Medical Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Flu is hanging on in the U.S., intensifying in some areas of the country after weeks of an apparent national decline. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its flu data on Friday. It shows a continued national decline in flu hospitalizations. But it also shows increases in other indicators — including the number of states with high or very high levels for respiratory illnesses. Flu-like illnesses seem to be proliferating in the Midwest. Last week, those illnesses were at high levels in 23 states — up from 18 the week before.