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DPHHS provides Montana flu update

Posted at 9:48 AM, Mar 09, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-10 10:20:09-04

GREAT FALLS — The Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services (DPHHS) reports that nine people have died in the state during the current flu season, and says that influenza is currently "widespread" across the state.

The most recent activity report from DPHHS for the current flu season provides the following information:

  • Influenza activity continued to increase during week 9 (of current flu season) with 1,188 new cases reported.
  • Season to date: 8,572 cases, 361 hospitalizations, and nine deaths due to influenza have been reported.
  • The most common influenza subtype identified this week was influenza A H1N1 (2009). In the past few weeks, the proportion of influenza A positives has been increasing and now is higher than influenza B.
  • During week 9, the proportion of healthcare provider and emergency room visits for influenza like illness (ILI) increased and remains above baseline.
  • Two new influenza outbreaks were reported during week 9; to date this season 17 outbreaks have been reported and schools are the most common setting.

Click here to read the complete weekly report.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention says that so far this season, about 20,000 people have died of the flu, including 136 children.

The CDC's most recent flu report says that as of February 29, hospitalization rates among children aged 4 and under were the highest on record at this point in the season, surpassing rates reported during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. The 136 children's deaths also mark the highest on record since the 2009 pandemic.

In all, the CDC estimates about 34 million people have gotten the flu so far this season and 350,000 have been hospitalized.