Montana has four flu-related deaths this season

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.