COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus and the flu is caused by an influenza virus. These are two similar but distinct types of viruses that can be easily differentiated in a lab. But new data from the CDC may point to the flu being misdiagnosed as COVID-19, resulting in higher coronavirus numbers but much lower flu numbers. In fact, there has been a 95% decrease in flu cases during current weeks 40-41.

This time last year, there were 1251 flu cases reported to the CDC during weeks 40-41. This is about average. But in 2020, we’re seeing a record low number of 61 total flu cases reported in the same time period. It doesn’t take a medical degree to come to the logical conclusion that the flu didn’t suddenly disappear but that it’s simply being misdiagnosed as COVID-19.