Six More People Die From Flu in Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Another six people have died from the flu in Minnesota.

The Department of Health’s latest Influenza Activity Report says as of February 1, 42 deaths have been associated with the flu this season. That’s up from 36 as of the previous week. Only one of those deaths has been to someone under 18 years old and the median age of the victims is 74.5.

182 people were hospitalized for the flu for the week ending February 1. That’s down from 232 the previous week and is the lowest number in the past six weeks. However, state data indicates high numbers of flu hospitalizations are not uncommon in late March and early April.

There have been 1,656 such hospitalizations this flu season with just over 1,100 happening in the Twin Cities Metro area. Southeast Minnesota has seen 97 people go to the hospital for the flu.

The number of schools reporting outbreaks of flu-like illnesses remains unusually high, with 87 more such reports for the week ending February 1. State data show Minnesota is on pace to possibly have the most such outbreaks in the last six years.