Minnesota Seasonal Flu Deaths at 141

The Minnesota Department of Health recently released their Weekly Influenza and Respiratory Illness Activity Report.  It was updated last Thursday and shows this flu season has been a busy one.

The report shows there have been 141 total deaths since September 29, 2019 in Minnesota including 3 pediatric deaths (those under age 18).  The median age of those passing is 73.  The seasonal flu status in Minnesota is now listed as local, meaning as predicted the cases are going down as spring approaches.

Total hospitalizations for influenza (flu) have been 4,019.  This past week 27 the previous week 86. Median age for all those hospitalized is 60.

Total cases are impossible to have a accurate count because many people get the flu but do not experience symptoms serious enough to even seek medical treatment.

There have been 921 school flu outbreaks in Minnesota this season.  Long term care facilities have reported 109 outbreaks.

The Centers for Disease Control reports an estimated 39 million flu illnesses in the United States this season with 400,000 people hospitalized, 24,000 deaths.  There have been 162 pediatric flu deaths nationwide.

Sunday the Minnesota Health Department reported 29 COVID-19 deaths since January 20, 2020.  There were 26,777 tests with 935 positives to date (0.034%). The CDC reported 304,826 total cases in the United States with 7,616 deaths.

In Minnesota, 451 people no longer needed to be isolated.  202 required hospitalization.  106 as of Sunday, 48 were in intensive care units Sunday.

The median age of all cases was 49 with the youngest 4 months and the oldest 104 years old.  The median age of the 29 deaths is 86, youngest 58, oldest 100.  Median age for those hospitalized is 63.  Youngest 6, oldest 98.

The Minnesota Department of Health reported 51 percent were male.  Community transmission was the top likely exposure 33%.  Followed by known exposure to a case 23%.  Travel to another state with unknown exposure 17%.  International travel 12%.  Cruise ship 3%.  Unknown 12%, which likely means the people have not been interviewed yet to make that determination.

Rice County had 4 positive tests for COVID-19, 1 more than Saturday.  All COVID-19 cases are not tested so that doesn't mean only 4 people have had the virus in the county.  Steele County had 8 positives up 2 from the previous day.  Dodge County stayed at 10, Waseca stayed at 3, Wabasha County stayed at 6, Goodhue County had 5 positives, Scott County 13, Le Sueur County 20.

Hennepin County leads the state with 267 positives to date.  Olmsted County is second with 95, Ramsey County has 91, Dakota County 63.

There are 60 counties with at least one positive reported.  20 counties have double digit numbers of positives.

80% of COVID-19 cases are people in private residences.