Death Rate Still High as Flu Season Wanes

ATLANTA — The flu season shows signs of waning, but deaths from influenza and pneumonia are still running at their highest level in nine years, the federal Centers for Disease Control said Thursday.

Last week, as in the week before, 7.3% of the 14,262 deaths reported to the CDC from 121 cities were caused by pneumonia and flu, a level significantly higher than the usual 5%, the agency said. That 7.3% is the highest level of flu and pneumonia deaths since early 1976, Dr. Karl Kappus said.