The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just came out with new swine flu estimates showing the virus has infected some 50 million people in the U.S.

Of that figure, most have been children and young adults, more evidence that the pandemic has spared the elderly. 

In addition, the H1N1 virus has caused about 200,000 hospitalizations and nearly 10,000 deaths -- 1,100 of them children.

The estimates are from the start of the U.S. outbreak in the spring through Nov. 14 and update figures the CDC released last month.

The CDC also highlighted an alarming figure in an attempt to drive home how serious the illness can be: Death rates  for Native Americans are four times the U.S. average, mostly because of the population's high rates of asthma, diabetes and lack of access to good health care.

The figures come during a lull in swine flu activity -- infections peaked in October, have plunged since and these days, fewer people are clamoring to be vaccinated. Some are even calling the virus the weakest pandemic ever.

So much for infectious disease experts' warnings just a few months ago. Back then, we were told to brace ourselves for as many as half the population sickened, 90,000 deaths, overwhelmed intensive care units and massive absenteeism at schools and workplaces.

Nevertheless, public health officials are using the lull as an opportunity to urge people to get vaccinated in the event that a third wave of the virus takes hold in the cold winter. The flu, as they keep reminding us, is unpredictable.