An estimated 57 million Americans have contracted pandemic H1N1 influenza since the outbreak began last April, about 257,000 have been hospitalized with complications from it, and nearly 12,000 have died, according to estimates released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The total number of infected represents an increase of about 7 million cases since the last estimate was released in December, a modest gain that correlates with other data suggesting the swine flu pandemic has been waning.
Most cases in all categories have involved children and adults younger than 65, a sharp change from normal flu seasons, in which the elderly suffer disproportionately.
Although the death total is much lower than the estimated 35,000 U.S. deaths in a normal flu season, the numbers among people younger than 65 are much higher than normal.
