With no new flu deaths being reported in the past week, the final Influenza Watch report for this season has been released by the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency.
The final report shows the number of fatalities remains at 341 and 20,747 flu cases have been reported, the announced today.
Because the County monitors influenza year round, those totals could change from now through June 30 when the 2017-18 flu season officially ends.
The ages of San Diegans who died from influenza this season range from 1 to 101, and almost all had underlying medical conditions. Forty-four (13 percent) of the deaths 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 also due to better reporting and tracking by the local medical community and the County.
Last week, 96 lab-confirmed flu cases were reported, a decrease from the 101 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,” said Wilma Wooten M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “It is important that people get a flu shot every year, as strains may change each year.”
For the week ending April 28, 2018, the County Health and Human Services Agency Influenza Watch report shows the following:
- Emergency department visits for influenza-like illness: 1 percent of all visits (compared to 2 percent the previous week)
- Lab-confirmed influenza cases for the week: 96 (compared to 101 the previous week)
- Total influenza deaths to date: 341 (compared to 86 at this time last season)
- Total lab-confirmed cases to date: 20,757 (compared to 5,484 last season)