ASSOCIATED PRESS
BILLINGS – The
state of Montana has recorded four flu-related deaths this season,
with three of them happening in the week ending Feb. 1.
The
Department of Public Health and Human Services reports there were just under
1,000 cases of influenza reported during the last week in January, an increase
from 800 cases the previous week. Last year’s flu season peaked during the week
of Feb. 23.
The health
department says there’s been just over 4,000 flu cases since the season started
in October and every county has reported at least one case. So far this season,
186 people have been hospitalized in Montana with the flu, “The
Billings Gazette” reported.
The deaths
involve four adults, three over the age of 65, health officials said.
During the
2018-19 flu season there were more than 13,500 cases reported, 767
hospitalizations and 38 deaths.
The Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there have been 22 million flu
illnesses, 210,000 hospitalizations and at least 12,000 deaths this season.
