Seasonal influenza is an annual public health problem worldwide, as it is one of the deadliest airborne and upper-respiratory infections. On average, 22,000 deaths and over 3 million hospitalizations in United States are attributed to influenza each year. In the U.S., influenza activity began increasing in the beginning of November of 2017, with Influenza A being the most commonly identified virus. Consequently, the 2017-2018 flu season has seen a significant increase in hospitalizations due to influenza-like illness. Despite many studies, the role of weather on influenza spread is not yet fully understood. In the present study, we investigate the association between peak flu activity and climatic factors such as precipitation and temperature in the states of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama and Virginia. In addition, we also explore the relationship between El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the seasonality, timing of peak, and severity of influenza for the study region.
