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ST. PAUL, Minn. ? A big surge in flu cases and deaths has redefined how health officials are describing the current flu outbreak. The Minnesota Department of Health is now declaring that Minnesota is in the midst of a severe flu season.
The agency reports that 401 people were admitted to hospitals last week for laboratory-confirmed flu. The death toll from flu has jumped to 27 people.
Public health officials say they still don't consider this to be an unusual flu season.
Just days ago the Health Department was hesitant to describe this flu season as severe despite reports from many hospitals that they were overwhelmed with patients. It is still very early in the flu season. But when the numbers came in this week it was clear that there had been a jump in hospitalized patients, rivaling numbers last seen during the 2009 flu pandemic. That meant that flu was widespread and it was severe enough to make many people very sick.
The agency reports that 401 people were admitted to hospitals last week for laboratory-confirmed flu. The death toll from flu has jumped to 27 people.
Public health officials say they still don't consider this to be an unusual flu season.
Just days ago the Health Department was hesitant to describe this flu season as severe despite reports from many hospitals that they were overwhelmed with patients. It is still very early in the flu season. But when the numbers came in this week it was clear that there had been a jump in hospitalized patients, rivaling numbers last seen during the 2009 flu pandemic. That meant that flu was widespread and it was severe enough to make many people very sick.
