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Archive for the ‘flu’ Category

Flu still present; strain shifting from A to B

Thursday, April 18, 2013 by:Amanda Cuda

Though flowers are blooming and temperatures seem to have settled in the above-freezing range for the foreseeable future, one last vestige of the cold-weather months continues to hang on — the flu.

According to the most recent statistics from the state Department of Health, the contagious respiratory disease is still with us, though well below its January peak. The state also reports that, over the past six weeks, the predominant strain of flu among those hospitalized with the virus has shifted from Type a to Type B.

This season has been a rough one for flu, with the state reporting a total of 8,158 testing positive for the illness nearly eight times the number of people who tested positive last season. There have been a total of 34 deaths from flu this season, most of them in people age 65 and older and all of them in people age 55 and older.

During the week ending Saturday, April 13, about 5.6 percent of emergency room visits were attributed to flu/fever syndrome and 1 percent of outpatient visits were by people with flu-like illness.

Flu season typically runs until late May.

Flu numbers continue to rise, but still below January levels

Thursday, March 28, 2013 by:Amanda Cuda

After many weeks in decline, flu indicators in the state rose for the fourth week in a row, according to the Connecticut Department of Public Health. However, the DPH reports, flu activity is still well below the peak it hit in January.

Flu statistics for the week ending Saturday, March 23, showed that the number of hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed flu had increased, as had the percent of state wide emergency department visits attributed to fever/flu syndrome. However, after some slight increases in previous weeks, two other key indicators — the percentage of outpatient visits with influenza-like illness and the number of statewide hospital admissions due to “pneumonia syndrome” — had fallen.

This season, there have been a total of 6,968 positive influenza reports, according to the more recent DPH data. That’s a huge increase over the roughly 1,000 cases seen all of last season.
There have also been 33 influenza-associated deaths this season, most of them in people aged 65 years or older.

All flu surveillance data are considered preliminary until the end of flu season, which is typically in late May.

Flu continues to inch back up in state

Thursday, March 14, 2013 by:Amanda Cuda

Although influenza activity is well below January levels, the State Department of Public Health says the contagious respiratory illness is continuing to inch back up after declining for weeks in February.

According to stats for the week ending March 9, emergency department visits attributed to the “fever/flu syndrome” rose slightly for a second week in a row. In the most recent report, 5.9 percent of emergency room visits were flu related, compared with 5.5 percent the previous week. The percent of outpatient visits by those with flu-like illness also went up to 2.2 percent, from 2 percent the previous week.

However, another key indicator — the number of hospital admissions due to pneumonia syndrome — is down. The most recent report show 300 people admitted to the hospital with pneumonia last week, down from 375 the previous week.

A total of 6,389 positive influenza reports have been reported for the current season, more than six time the number of cases last season. A total of 32 influenza-associated deaths were reported to the DPH. Of these, 28 were aged 65 years or older, and 4 were 55-64 years of age.

Some flu indicators inching back up

Thursday, March 7, 2013 by:Amanda Cuda

While many flu indicators in the state continue to fall, some showed a slight increase in the most recent batch of stats from the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

According to the most recent information, from the week ending March, about 5.5 percent of emergency room visits were attributed to the ‘fever/flu syndrome’ — a slight increase from the previous week. However, it’s still a far cry from the season’s peak, when 12.4 percent of ER visits were attributed to flu.

Also, a total of 362 statewide hospital admissions due to “pneumonia syndrome” occurred last, a slight increase from the 335 statewide hospital admissions that occurred the previous week.

However, the percentage of outpatients visits due to influenza-like illness took a dip from the previous week, from 2.4 percent to 2 percent.

A total of 5,785 positive influenza reports have been reported for the current season — more than five times the total number of cases the state saw last season.

Flu deaths in state rise to 30, but activity declining overall

Thursday, February 21, 2013 by:Amanda Cuda

The latest numbers from the state Department of Public Health show that flu is still trending down in Connecticut, after a brisk, severe season. However, the death toll from the illness continues to rise, if only slightly.

On Thursday, the state released flu stats for the week ending on Saturday, Feb. 16. During that week, the number of flu deaths in the state had risen to 30, up from 27 the previous week. All deaths were among those age 55 or older.

However, other indicators of flu activity continued to go down. For instance, a total of 5.8 percent of emergency department visits were attributed to the “fever/flu syndrome” — down from 7.3 percent previous week. Those with flu-like illness made up only 2 percent of outpatient visits, down slightly from 2.1 percent the previus week.

This influenza season began in late August, with an earlier onset of flu activity than seen in previous seasons. Seasonal peaks usually happen in February or March, but, the current peaked in early January.

A total of 4,829 people have tested positive for flu in the state and 1,758 have been hospitalized. Last season, only about 1,000 state residents tested positive for the flu.

Flu decreases to “moderate” levels in Connecticut

Thursday, February 14, 2013 by:Amanda Cuda

Good news, Connecticut — you might be able to canoodle with your sweetie this Valentine’s Day without fear of catching the flu.

The state Department of Public Health says that flu activity in Connecticut has decreased to “moderate levels,” based on flu surveillance data for the week ending Feb. 9. That week, 7.3 percent of total emergency room visits were attributed to fever. That’s down more than a percentage point from the previous week, when 8.4 percent of ER visits were attributed to the illness.

The percentage of outpatient visits by those with influenza-like illness was 2.1 percent in this most recent week — down a smidgen from 3.3 percent the week before.

Even though flu is on the decline, this has been a particularly rough season, with more than 4,399 confirmed cases of flu — more than quadruple last season. Also, 1,725 people have hospitalized with flu and there have been a total of 27 flu-associated deaths. Most of those deaths were in individual grater than 65 years of age.

Flu continues its decline in state

Thursday, February 7, 2013 by:Amanda Cuda

Though flu activity is still widespread in the state, Connecticut’s Department of Public Health reports that it is continuing the downward trend it’s been on the past few weeks.

As of Saturday, Feb. 2, there have been a total of 4,230 confirmed flu cases in the state — more than quadruple the total number of cases Connecticut saw last season. But, just like the previous week, there’s been a drop in the percentage of emergency room and outpatient visits attributable to flu or flu-like illness.

The most recent flu report from the state shows that 8.4 percent of total emergency department visits were attributed to the “fever/flu syndrome.” The previous week, flu cases made up about 10 percent of ER visits. The percentage of outpatient visits by those with influenza-like illness was 3.3 percent in this most recent week — done a smidgen from the week before, when 3.4 percent of visits were by those with flu-like illness.

Even though it appears to be declining, this has been a significant flu season, with a total number of 1,654 people hospitalized with flu and a total of 27 flu-associated deaths. Most of those deaths were in individual grater than 65 years of age.

Flu activity still high, but might be tapering off

Thursday, January 31, 2013 by:Amanda Cuda

The number of flu cases in the state is still rising and has reached more than 3,750 for the season, according to the latest data from the state Department of Health. However, the percentage of total hospital emergency rooms visits attributed to flu has declined, as has the percentage of outpatient visits by those with “influenza-like” illness.

This remains a bumper flu season, both statewide and nationwide, with the current number of flu cases more than triple the total number of cases from last season. Fairfield County has seen the largest number of cases this season, at 1,035. New Haven County is next, with 828 cases and Hartford County is close behind, with 761.

More than 1,500 people have been hospitalized for influenza-associated illness this year, and 23 people in the state have died from the contagious respiratory illness. Of those, 19 deaths were among those older than 65, and the remainder were among those between the ages of 55 and 64.

But there might be signs that we’re headed toward a decline in the flu season. This week, about 10 percent of total emergency department visits were attributed to the “fever/flu syndrome” — down from 12.4 percent last week. The percentage of outpatient visits by those with influenza-like illness — which had been 4.6 percent the past two weeks — recently dipped to 3.4 percent.

The number of those admitted to hospitals with pneumonia has also continued to decline. Experts have said that a decline in pneumonia cases could mean flu cases might soon be declining.

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