Flu-Related Deaths Rise Above Epidemic Levels in the U.S

[TM99]

8. Actually that is incorrect

According to the CDC themselves:

Antigenic Characterization:
CDC has antigenically characterized 612 influenza viruses [Forty-one 2009 H1N1 viruses, 394 influenza A (H3N2) viruses, and 177 influenza B viruses] collected by U.S. laboratories since October 1, 2012.

2009 H1N1 [41]:

All forty-one 2009 H1N1 viruses tested were characterized as A/California/7/2009-like, the influenza A (H1N1) component of the 2012-2013 influenza vaccine for the Northern Hemisphere.
Influenza A (H3N2) [394]:

392 (99.5%) of the 394 H3N2 influenza viruses tested have been characterized as A/Victoria/361/2011-like, the influenza A (H3N2) component of the 2012-2013 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccine.
2 (0.5%) of the 394 H3N2 viruses tested showed reduced titers with antiserum produced against A/Victoria/361/2011.
Influenza B (B/Yamagata/16/88 and B/Victoria/02/87 lineages) [177]:

Yamagata Lineage [118]: 118 (66.7%) of the 177 influenza B viruses tested so far this season have been characterized as B/Wisconsin/1/2010-like, the influenza B component of the 2012-2013 Northern Hemisphere influenza vaccine.
Victoria Lineage [59]: 59 (33.3%) of 177 influenza B viruses tested have been from the B/Victoria lineage of viruses.

(Source - http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/)

So actually they were dead on. The effectiveness this year has been about normal which is 62%. It normally ranges from a little lower and up to about 70% to 75% effectiveness.

The amount of the American population that is immunized only stands at about 37% which helps explain why so many are falling ill with this. The H3N2 strain is the most prevalent strain and is particularly viscous so more people are getting that. The amount of secondary infections due to a more potent strain such as H3N2 leads to more deaths - this year it has been pneumonia but also a surprisingly high number of MRSA sepsis infections leading to kidney failure. I have sadly already know of three of these such cases personally - one of my partner's friends spouse, a former colleague in NY, and a friend of my mother's in a retirement apartment community in MD.

This is a very bad flu season, and as someone with a compromised immune system I do worry about admittedly.