Connecticut State Department of Public Health

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Press Releases

02/08/2018

Emergency Department Visits Related to Flu the Highest in CT since 2009

Many Local Health Departments to Hold Flu Shot Clinics on Saturday

The state Department of Public Health (DPH) today released the weekly 2017-2018 Influenza Season Update for the week ending on February 3rd.  The full report is available on DPH’s Influenza Surveillance and Statistics webpage.  DPH also announced that several local health departments throughout the state will be holding low/no-cost flu vaccine clinics this Saturday.  Please click here for the current schedule and locations of Saturday’s flu clinics.

“With the peak of flu season potentially still weeks away, it is still not too late to get a flu shot.  Several local health departments will be holding flu shot clinics this Saturday, and I strongly urge anyone who hasn’t yet been vaccinated to visit one of the clinics in their area or call their healthcare practitioner in order to get vaccinated,” said DPH Commissioner Dr. Pino. 

            According to this week’s update, which tracks flu activity through February 3rd, flu activity in Connecticut remains high and widespread with an increasing number of patients presenting with flu symptoms, as well as increasing numbers of flu-associated hospitalizations and deaths.  Statewide emergency department visits attributed to the flu have increased to 14.2%, which is the highest weekly level observed in Connecticut since the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.

A total of 1,360 patients have been hospitalized with confirmed cases of flu between August 27, 2017 and February 3, 2018.  63 deaths have been attributed to the flu (50 associated with flu A, 13 with flu B) so far this season.  Of these deaths, 52 were among patients over the age of 65, 6 were 50-64 years of age, 3 were 25-49 years of age, 1 was between 19-24 years of age, and 1 was between 5-17 years of age.  A total of 3,895 influenza positive laboratory tests have been reported so far this season.