Cases of influenza continue to rise in Maine, with the latest numbers from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicating more than double the number recorded just two weeks ago.

The latest Maine CDC data, covering the week ending Jan. 25, shows 1,131 new cases throughout the state. That’s up from 541 new cases recorded the week ending Jan. 11 and 708 cases reported the week ending Jan. 18.

“We are seeing a lot of cases this year,” said Dr. Mark Abel, infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. “I anticipate that that will likely continue for the next few weeks and then hopefully we’ll see the trend start to go down as we hit our peak and things start to improve.”

The spike in confirmed cases of influenza, Abel said, is not unusual, as flu season in Maine normally has a peak, often in January or February.  

“It’s in some ways typical of what we see every year,” he said.

The number of outpatient visits related to the flu, expressed in a percentage, remains high compared to the same time period in 2024, at 4.9%. The number of hospitalizations, while dropping slightly to 62 the week of Jan. 25, also still remains high compared to last year.

Maine CDC did not report any influenza-related deaths this week, but noted 12 deaths due to the disease since the season began in October 2024.

Abel said higher case counts in northern Maine might be attributed to fewer people getting their flu shots this season. 

“It’s always a reminder to us that one of the most effective tools we have is the flu vaccine,” he said. “Certainly, for people who are older, or have chronic medical conditions they definitely need to have the flu vaccine, and I recommend it for everyone.”

Abel also noted that for seniors, people with chronic medical conditions or anyone else who might be vulnerable to the flu should, if they feel sick, ask their doctor about antiviral treatments that could help.