What to Know
- The past week is tied for the deadliest this flu season in Connecticut; 20 people died over the seven day period, data shows
- The most recent pediatric death was a 6-year-old Norwalk girl whose death was reported over the weekend
- This year's flu season has been especially bad, with up to 4,000 people dying from flu-related complications in the U.S. on a weekly basis
Twenty more people died from the flu in Connecticut over the past week, marking the biggest increase in flu-related deaths in the state this flu season, health data published Thursday shows.
The new deaths raise the total number of statewide flu victims this season to 97, according to the Connecticut Department of Health.
Connecticut hasn’t seen such a deadly week since the seven days ending on Jan. 27, when 20 new deaths were also reported.
The majority of deaths have been people over the age of 65 years old (78 deaths), but two of them have been children, including a 6-year-old Norwalk girl who died last week.
In its latest flu report, the Health Department said the flu is showing signs of peaking in Connecticut, but that it remains widespread. It said emergency room visits for the virus have remained at 14 percent or greater – the highest weekly levels observed in the state since the 2009 swine flu pandemic.
Earlier this week, health officials in New Jersey confirmed that an 8-year-old girl in Elizabeth had died from the flu in the state's third pediatric death. Flu activity in that state was designated "widespread" in every county over the past week, health data shows.
Four New York City children are among the five New York State kids to fall victim to the flu this season, according to health data.
