Almost 3,000 people have died from the flu this season, says CDC 

More than 2,900 people, including 12 children, have died from influenza since October, according to recently released data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

"Seasonal influenza activity is elevated across the country," said the health agency in the latest edition of the Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report, which covers the week ending on November 19. 

The agency added that around 53,000 people have been hospitalized with the flu this season. So far this year, the hospitalization rate is "higher than the rate observed in week 46 during every previous season since 2010-2011," according to the report. 

 "This is severe and early flu season in terms of case numbers of hospitalizations and deaths," Dr. Marc Siegel, a Fox News medical contributor and professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, told Fox News Digital via email on Tuesday. "Several children have died."

"There are several reasons, including that this is a bad strain of flu. We have had very mild flu seasons the last few years, so our partial immunity from previous exposure is lacking, and flu shot uptake is down — even though it is a good match this year."

The numbers of influenza cases and deaths in the report cover the beginning of the flu season, which peaks in later winter months, warns the CDC. Flu season usually peaks in January-February. 

Most influenza in the nation is a subtype of Influenza A, which accounts for 99.3% of the tested flu specimens. The remaining .7% are Influenza B type. 

"Of influenza A viruses detected and sub-typed this season, 78% have been influenza A(H3N2) and 22% have been influenza A(H1N1)," said the CDC. 

The states that are experiencing the highest levels of influenza-like illnesses are Texas, New Mexico, and Tennessee, the CDC added. Eight other states and the District of Columbia are at the second highest activity level. 

“We are likely to see an increase in the upcoming weeks,” Lynnette Brammer, an epidemiologist and team lead of CDC’s domestic influenza surveillance team, told NBC News.

The flu can be dangerous for people who are 65 or older, young children, pregnant women, or individuals with health problems.