Flu Impact Waning in Minnesota

MN Department of Health counted 15 deaths last week. The number of people hospitalized with flu-like symptoms has fallen dramatically.

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. But the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) weekly flu update, released Thursday afternoon, also contained good news: Only 208 people across the state were newly hospitalized last week with laboratory-confirmed influenza, a big drop from the 476 hospitalized the previous week. Health Department spokesman Doug Schultz told WCCO that it will be another week before officials know for sure where the flu season has peaked in Minnesota. But he added that trends are pointing in that direction. For example, there were only nine …

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Tally of Minnesota Flu Deaths Hits 60

The number of flu cases at Unity Hospital in Fridley remains high.

The influenza outbreak of 2012–13 has now killed 60 Minnesotans and hospitalized 1,842, according to information released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Health. The department’s second weekly report on the flu outbreak more than doubles the number of reported deaths in the state; which totaled 27 last week. The total number of deaths is now nearly as high as that of the swine flu outbreak of 2009–10, which killed 67 Minnesotans. The number of flu-related hospitalizations actually exceeds the total of 2009-10. According to a Fox 9 news report, 88 percent of the deaths were patients age 65 or older, making up 53 of the 60 fatal cases this season. There were no deaths in the past week involving patients younger than 24. The …

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Your Flu Questions: Ask a Patch Pro

Four experts will give answers to questions you leave in a comment at this post.

What's Truth and Fiction in Influenza Epidemic? Ask a Patch Pro

Get answers from a medical doctor, a specialist in traditional Chinese medicine, and two public health professionals.

The numbers behind this winter's influenza epidemic can look really scary. It's sickened thousands and killed at least 27 in Minnesota alone, including a 14-year old St. Louis Park high schooler who was first hospitalized on Christmas Day. To top it off, the flu strains being passed around this year are spreading even further and faster than in most years. All together, it can make you worry that the next person to sneeze on you at the grocery store could give you the bug. It's the kind of worry that leaves you asking questions. How contagious is influenza? What can you do to steel yourself against the virus? How does a flu shot or an immune-boosting substance even work? To answer all your queries, Patch has asked a team of experts to …

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Flu Rates Skyrocket in Minnesota; 27 Deaths Now Reported

Try e-Visits, pleads Unity Hospital in Fridley. More than 1,100 hospitalized statewide; MN Department of Health urges precautions—short of canceling after school activities.

  This flu season is proving brutal in Minnesota, with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) now reporting 27 deaths in the state, including 23 that officials have been able to confirm as flu-related since Dec. 30. Since the start of the influenza season, 1,121 people have been hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza, according to the MDH reports for the 2012–13 season. That number includes 401 hospitalizations for the week ending Jan. 5. Unity Hospital in Fridley put out a plea on Facebook for patients to use remote methods to seek care and advice if possible: We're seeing an increase in patient visits with flu-like symptoms. MyChart can help you avoid long waits and added exposure from other sick patients through e-Visits. …

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Simple Steps to Ward off the Flu

Six things to remember to keep influenza at bay.