Friday, February 8, 2013
Department of Health's latest numbers indicate worst of outbreak behind us.
Minnesota's 2013 flu outbreak is definitely on the wane. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported Thursday afternoon that influenza killed 15 more state residents during the week of Jan. 27-Feb. 2--less than half the number of deaths reported the previous week. So far this season, a total of 127 Minnesotans have died of flu-related illness—including Carly Christenson, 14, of St. Louis Park, who died of flu-related complications Jan. 8. According to this report from the Star-Tribune, the vast majority of deaths and hospitalizations have occurred among the elderly. Only 108 people were hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza during the Jan. 27-Feb. 2 period. Three weeks ago, 476 people were hospitalized. The MDH reported …
Friday, January 25, 2013
The Department of Health says there were an additional 15 deaths last week. There have been 75 this flu season, including Carly Christenson of St. Louis Park.
Influenza killed 15 more Minnesotans last week, bringing the total number of state deaths in the current outbreak to 75—more than the total number of state residents killed during the last big outbreak during 2009-10. One of those deaths was Carly Christenson, 14, of St. Louis Park. She died of flu-related complications Jan. 8. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) weekly flu update, released Thursday afternoon, said only 208 people across the state were newly hospitalized last week with laboratory-confirmed influenza. That is a big drop from the 476 hospitalized the previous week. Health Department spokesman Doug Schultz told WCCO that it'll be another week before officials know for sure where the flu season has peaked in Minnesota. …
Friday, January 18, 2013
There have also been 60 confirmed flu deaths this season.
Nearly 500 flu hospitalizations last week have pushed this year’s totals above the deadly 2009 pandemic. Minnesota had 476 confirmed flu hospitalizations between Jan. 6 and Jan. 12, bringing the season’s total to 1,842, according to figures the Minnesota Department of Health released Thursday. There were also 33 deaths confirmed last week for a season total of 60. Those deaths include St. Louis Park teen Carly Christenson and 17-year-old Max Schwolert. This time last year, flu cases were lower in Minnesota than they are now, according to data on Google's Flu Trends. (Hopkins-specific data is not available on Flu Trends, but flu cases in the Twin Cities metro are in line with the state as a whole.) Overall in Minnesota, activity is …
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Schools and organizations haven’t seen the big outbreaks reported elsewhere.
Hopkins institutions appear to be doing well weathering a flu season that officials have classified as “intense” as it approaches the severity of the 2009 pandemic. There have been at least 138 flu-like outbreaks in Minnesota schools since the start of the season, according to a Minnesota Department of Health report released Thursday. Yet Hopkins Public Schools has not seen an increase in absences from flu, spokeswoman Jolene Goldade said via e-mail. The district is preparing for it, though. Elementary schools are putting prevention information in the weekly parent newsletters, and the secondary schools have flu-prevention tips scrolling on the TV announcement monitors. Blake School spokeswoman Tracy Grimm said that institution isn’t …
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Here's where to get an influenza vaccine, how to recognize symptoms and what to know about treatment if you get sick.
Flu season is hitting Minnesota hard. Flu activity in Minnesota is categorized as "intense," compared to a categorization of "moderate" at this time last flu season, according to Flu Trends. Activity has become so intense that 14 southern Minnesota hospitals have tightened visitor restrictions to protect patients and staff. (Hopkins-specific data is not available on Flu Trends, but flu cases in the Twin Cities metro are in line with the state as a whole.) The Minnesota Department of Public Health reports that for the 2012-13 season, 578 people have been hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza, as of Dec. 29. Four influenza-related deaths have been confirmed this season—including St. Louis Park teen Carly Christenson. If you're …
Friday, December 14, 2012
Here's where to get an influenza vaccine, how to recognize symptoms and what to know about treatment if you get sick.
Flu season is coming early in parts of the United States, including Minnesota, and some of the cases have involved severe illnesses. This time last year, flu cases were lower in Minnesota than they are now, according to data on Google's Flu Trends. (Hopkins-specific data is not available on Flu Trends, but flu cases in the Twin Cities metro are in line with the state as a whole.) Overall in Minnesota, activity is categorized as "high," while it was categorized as "low" at this time in 2011, according to Flu Trends. And not only is the flu season starting earlier than usual, some of the illnesses in Minnesota are severe. The Minnesota Department of Public Health reports that for this 2012-13 season, 30 people have been hospitalized with …
