Flu activity remains low in Connecticut

There were no new hospitalizations for flu last week, but eight more people tested positive for the illness. Still, the state’s flu numbers continue to be unusually low for this time of year.

According to the latest data from the state Department of Public Health, as of Jan. 30, there had been a total of 47 people who tested positive for the flu in Connecticut so far this season, up from 39 the previous week.

The total number of hospitalizations remained at 13, as there were no new flu-related hospitalizations last week. There were also no new deaths, and there has only been one flu-related death in Connecticut so far this season.

The state also reported that 0.68 percent of visits to outpatient clinics were due to flu-like illness — down from 0.69 percent the previous week, and 1.02 percent the week before that. The state also reported that visits to emergency departments for flu-like illness was lower than the “percentage observed in the previous week and a much lower percentage of total (emergency department) visits for (flu-like illness) than observed in previous influenza seasons.”

Flu activity in Connecticut has been designated as “sporadic” for several weeks, meaning that a small number of laboratory-confirmed flu cases or a single laboratory-confirmed outbreak has been reported, but there is no increase in cases of influenza-like illness.

Though COVID-19 remains a major presence in Connecticut, flu activity in the state has been underwhelming this season. By comparison, last year, as of Jan. 25, there had been 1,036 flu-related hospitalizations in the state, 23 flu-related deaths and 4,864 people had tested positive for the flu.

Connecticut isn’t alone in its reduced flu season. “Seasonal influenza activity in the United States remains lower than usual for this time of year,” stated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its weekly flu report.

Though there were initially concerns that there would be a robust flu season that arrived at the same time as a second wave of COVID-19, experts have said that mask-wearing, social distancing and other measures meant to protect against COVID-19 might also be effective in preventing other respiratory illnesses, including the flu.