Slight spike in flu, but numbers still below normal
In a typical year, Connecticut’s flu season would be headed toward a close about now. But this season has never really gotten started, and last week was yet another quiet week.
According to the latest numbers from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, only 11 new people tested positive for the flu last week statewide, bringing the total for the season to 127. That is an increase from the previous week, when three new people tested positive for the flu.
There also was an increase in the percentage of outpatient visits attributed to flu-like illness, to .67 percent, up from .58 percent the previous week.
But the numbers continue to be lower than a typical flu season. By comparison, last year, as of April
4, 12,837 people tested positive for flu, and there had been 78 flurelated deaths and 2,993 flu-related hospitalizations.
This year, there has been one flu-related death and 13 people have been hospitalized with the flu. There have been no new flurelated deaths or hospitalizations in the past several months.
For the majority of this season, flu activity in Connecticut has been classified as sporadic, meaning 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.
Experts have attributed the low numbers to mask-wearing and other measures that have been taken to protect people against
COVID-19. Many of the precautions have also been effective at preventing other illnesses, including the flu.
Flu season in Connecticut typically runs from October until some time in May. Last year, the state stopped issuing flu reports in late April, so DPH staff could focus its efforts on the COVID-19 pandemic.