The National Center for Health Statistics keeps track of mortality (death) across the United States. This includes tracking deaths from the eighth leading cause of death, Influenza and Pneumonia.
The most recent findings (2006) are as follows:
Number of deaths from Influenza and Pneumonia, 2006: 56,326
Age-adjusted death rate for Influenza and Pneumonia (deaths per 100,000 population): 18.8 (down from 21.3 in 2005)
However, influenza by itself is not as deadly. Here, the 2006 numbers show that pneumonia is the factor behind most of the deaths in the category Influenza and Pneumonia.
Number of deaths in 2006 from influenza: 846
Number of deaths in 2006 from pneumonia: 55,477
If you are a member of the media and would like more information, please call 301-458-4378 or visit www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom.
NCHStats 
[…] These numbers, though, are newer. And when they narrow it down, the numbers vary dramatically between “influenza” and “pneumonia”: […]