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There were no deaths related to influenza reported in Connecticut in the past week, leaving the total of 78 during the current flu season, which may be nearing a close.
The Connecticut Department of Health issued its report for the week ending on Saturday, May 18, and the spread of the virus seems to have slowed, with the percentage of outpatient visits with influenza-like illness decreasing from 2.5 percent to 2.2. percent.
The CDC said that reported cases tend to increase in November before peaking between December and February. Flu season typically lasts through the middle of the spring and has been tapering off in recent weeks.
The organization estimates that flu has resulted in between 9.2 million and 35.6 million illnesses each year in the United States and hundreds of deaths. Of those illnesses, an estimated 9 percent were hospitalized.
In Connecticut, the “influenza activity classification” has gone from “sporadic,” to “local,” before being labeled as “regional” on Nov. 24. and it is was later declared as "widespread." In recent weeks, the Health Department has lowered the classification back to regional, and now local.
To date, a total of 3,378 hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed influence have been admitted between Aug. 26 last year and May 18. There have been a total of 10,213 influenza positive laboratory tests have been reported, including 1,890 in Fairfield County.
According to the CDC, the flu infects the respiratory tract. “As the infection progresses, the body’s immune system responds to fight the virus."
"This results in inflammation that can trigger respiratory symptoms such as a cough and sore throat. The immune system response can also trigger fever and cause muscle or body aches. When infected persons cough, sneeze, or talk, they can spread influenza viruses in respiratory droplets to people who are nearby.
"People might also get flu by touching a contaminated surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth or nose.”
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