USA TODAY Experts renew warnings of 'twindemic' as US enters flu season amid rising COVID-19 cases

Last year's influenza season turned out to be the mildest on record, but health experts have renewed warnings that a ‘twindemic’ – in which flu and COVID-19 cases simultaneously rise and overwhelm hospitals – may be possible this year, and they urge Americans to get their flu shot.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,675 cases of influenza from Sept. 28 to May 22, representing only .2% of specimens tested. But it’s difficult to predict what this year will look like, health experts say.

They worry it may resemble a more typical flu season, as students get back to in-person learning and states loosen mask and social distancing mandates amid a return to social gatherings.

That is especially concerning as COVID-19 cases driven by the highly contagious delta variant rise throughout the country. A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data suggests the U.S. reported more than 1.05 million cases in the week that ended Monday, amounting to 104 cases every minute.

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