HARTFORD — State officials said there have been 77 total flu-related causes in the period up to February 3, bringing the season’s total to 63.
They said 1,638 total flu patients have been hospitalized.
The Department of Public Health said the following in a press release Thursday:
- National influenza activity continues to increase and remains widespread within most of the continental United States. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported an additional increase in the percentage (7.7%) of people seeing their health care provider with influenza-like-illness (ILI), the same percentage observed during the peak week of the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
- In Connecticut, influenza activity remains high and widespread with a continuing high percentage of patients presenting to hospital emergency departments, an increasing percentage of patients presenting to outpatient providers with ILI, and increasing numbers of flu-associated hospitalizations and deaths.
- Classification of Connecticut geographic activity remains at widespread.
- Influenza A (H3N2) viruses continue to predominate within the US and Connecticut although influenza A (H1N1) and influenza B viruses are also being reported.
- There is still time to get a flu shot and take other important steps to prevent influenza-related illness and hospitalization.
