On Thursday, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) released a report that recorded the state’s first flu death of this season.
According to the MDH’s Influenza & Respiratory Illness Activity Report, one death, which is associated with influenza, has been documented so far this season.
The MDH report said the death was “non-pediatric.” The death, which actually occurred in a previous reporting week, has appeared as the state’s first flu death in Thursday’s report.
The number of cases hospitalized from flu-like sicknesses has increased for the third consecutive week, bringing the total to 19 this season.
According to previous reporting year of Minnesota, more than 2,500 people were hospitalized with confirmed influenza, 126 deaths were reported from flu, which included two pediatric deaths.
The previous MDH report also documented 60 outbreaks of flu in long-term health care facilities and 381 outbreaks of flu-like illness in schools.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the flu is expected to spread more quickly in the coming weeks and months, so it is imperative to get a flu shot at the earliest because vaccination is the best way to prevent catching flu. The MDH has an online resource that can help you to find a place where you can get vaccinated if you have not taken your flu vaccine yet.
