South Carolina flu cases top 40,000 as hospitalizations surge in 2025

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Flu season has hit South Carolina hard this year, with over 10,000 confirmed influenza cases reported from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1 alone.

That number comes from the South Carolina Department of Health (DPH), which says the number of influenza infections in the state has not decreased since the beginning of flu season.

“We defiantly seeing very high activity, we have been for several weeks. The last couple weeks we are just now kind of reaching similar numbers to the peak of last season,” Lindsey McAda with the S.C. Department of Health said. 

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While the number of cases hasn’t surpassed last flu season yet, DPH says flu-related hospitalizations are rising. 

“The total for last flu season was 3,913 so we have surpassed our total numbers as of last week from last season, and we’ve also surpassed our weekly highest number from last season,” McAda said. 

Eleven flu-related deaths have been reported in the South Carolina Midlands, bringing the state total to 67 flu fatalities. 

Anna Kathryn Burch, a pediatric physician with Prisma Health, said one of the best ways to decrease the chances of serious complications from the flu is to ensure you get your annual flu shot. 

“We always recommend to try to protect yourself every year from the flu by getting that flu shot, because it’s the best way to protect yourself, regardless if it’s a mild flu season or a very severe flu season,” she said.

RELATED: Flu is hitting a second peak in the U.S. this season

According to the DPH, over a million South Carolinians received their influenza vaccinations last flu season. This year, that number is 952,517 vaccinated individuals. 

Health officials in the area said they’ve seen an increase in pediatric and adult flu cases this year. 

“Influenza typically presents with very high fever. We’re seeing this year at least a 103-104 in the pediatric population, it can make you feel very fatigued, so not have very good energy. You usually get some kind of what we call myalgia, so your body hurts, your muscles hurt,” Burch said. 

More than 40,000 flu cases have been reported this flu season, but with warmer spring weather on the way in the coming months, numbers could potentially decrease.

“We do tend to see more activity in the winter months when people are in close contact with others,” McAda said. “People are inside; they’re not getting that good air ventilation. So hopefully, with the weather warming up as people going outside and having a little bit more space from others will help cut down some of that disease transmission.”