Final flu report shows 341 local deaths, 20,747 cases

With no new flu deaths being reported in the last week of April, the final Influenza Watch report for the season shows the number of fatalities remains at 341, and 20,747 flu cases have been reported, the County Health and Human Services Agency announced, May 2.

Because the county monitors influenza year-round, those totals could change from now through June 30 when the 2017-2018 flu season officially ends.

The ages of San Diego residents who died from influenza this season range from 1 to 101, and almost all had underlying medical conditions. Forty-four deaths or 13 percent were of people under 65 years old, which are the only cases public health agencies are required to report in California. The county informs the public about all flu deaths. The high number of deaths is the result of an unusually severe flu season, but it is also due to better reporting and tracking by the local medical community and the county.

Ninety-six lab-confirmed flu cases were reported the last week of April, a decrease from 101 cases the previous week. Patients with flu-like symptoms accounted for 1 percent of emergency department visits. The number of cases and emergency department visits are at expected levels for this time of the year.

“While we’re glad to see cases declining, we know that they are reported year-round,” Dr. Wilma Wooten, county public health officer, said. “It is important that people get a flu shot every year, as strains may change each year.”

For the week ending April 28, the county Health and Human Services Agency Influenza Watch report shows that emergency department visits for influenza-like illness accounts for 1 percent of all visits compared to 2 percent the previous week; lab-confirmed influenza cases for the week were 96 compared to 101 the previous week; total influenza deaths to date are 341 compared to 86 at this time last season and total lab-confirmed cases to date are 20,757 compared to 5,484 last season.