1 Of 6 Americans Have Had Swine Flu

New numbers out today from the CDC indicate that 50 million Americans, or about 1 in 6, have already had H1N1. There have been about 10,000 deaths.

The new estimates suggest that the flu, also known as H1N1, has spread through 15% of the U.S. population since it was first identified in April. As of Nov. 17, 200,000 people have been hospitalized, says Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's about the same number of people hospitalized during the entire flu season, which usually lasts until May. At least 7,500 adults 18 to 64 and 1,000 children younger than 18 have died of the disease, Frieden said. In a typical flu season, roughly 80 children die. "Many times more children and younger adults, unfortunately, have been hospitalized or killed by H1N1 influenza than occurs during a usual flu season," Frieden says. The analysis marks the government's latest assessment of the H1N1 epidemic. The virus has upended expectations of flu by targeting the young rather than the old. In a typical year, 95% of deaths are in people 65 and older; so far, 95% of deaths have been in people younger than 65.

Have you been vaccinated yet? I finally got mine a couple of weeks ago.