A wave of influenza that surged through Minnesota during the holidays is showing signs of peaking after causing 2,946 hospitalizations and 32 deaths so far this winter.
The 875 flu-related hospitalizations in the week ending Jan. 3 was down from 915 one week earlier, according to the state’s weekly update on Thursday, Jan. 8. Relief would be welcome at Twin Cities clinics and emergency rooms, where a surge of patients stretched wait times for non-critical care. North Memorial Health at one point this week posted a 15-hour wait time at its emergency room in Robbinsdale, though that has since subsided.
“People seem a little bit sicker than they have in recent memory and more people are coming in,” said Dr. Andrea Singh, a pediatrician for the HealthPartners and Park Nicollet health systems.
People might be at greater risk because the influenza virus didn’t circulate widely during the COVID-19 pandemic and present opportunities to develop immunity against it. Less than 29% of Minnesotans have received flu shots so far this season, and that low vaccination rate isn’t helping, Singh said. Despite reports that this year’s vaccine is mismatched to circulating flu strains, she said it still likely offers protection in the form of shorter and less-severe illness.
“I am very comfortable recommending flu vaccine every year,” she said, “but I also always tell my patients it’s not going to be perfect.”
Influenza is characterized by a sudden onset of high fever, breathing problems, cold symptoms and body aches. The virus primarily spreads through droplets that infected people spread when they cough, sneeze or speak. The infection can cause fatal or severe complications such as pneumonia and exacerbate existing heart issues and other conditions.
A genetic strain of influenza A known as H3 is causing many of the documented infections so far this winter, and it has mutated into a form that might hit patients hard even if they have immunity built up from infections in prior seasons, said Jeffrey Sanders, a senior epidemiologist in the Minnesota Department of Health’s influenza surveillance unit.
Minnesota had one of its highest one-week totals for flu-related hospitalizations on record last month. On the other hand, the current season is tracking similarly in severity and duration to the 2024-25 season, when an H1 flu strain was dominant and tapered off in January, he said.
