Four more flu-related deaths were confirmed in Minnesota last week, bringing the season's total to 169, the Minnesota Department of Health reported Thursday.
As the flu season continues to fade, an additional 36 people were hospitalized last week, down from a high of more than 600 a week in January. As of March 2, more than 2,900 Minnesotans had been hospitalized with complications of the flu since October.
The Health Department, which issues weekly updates on the flu season, reported only one outbreak at a nursing home last week and six at schools. Such outbreaks have declined steadily since the flu season peaked in January.
Symptoms include dry cough, fever, headache and extreme fatigue. They can arrive quickly and incapacitate a patient for several days.
Maura Lerner
