Flu Cases Rise As Fourth Death Is Reported In Connecticut

The flu season is in full effect in Connecticut as the number of cases rise and a fourth flu related death is reported.

So far this years flu season is not shaping up as bad as last seasons, but we're just getting started, and it looks like the number of positive cases reported has jumped by more then 200 in the course of a week.

According to the state Department of Public Health, flu season in Connecticut is continuing to intensify. As of January 6th, the state has reported that four deaths have been linked to the flu this season — an increase of one death since the last week of 2018. Of those flu-associated deaths, three were in people older than 65 and one was a person aged 50 to 64.

The new total is now 787 people in the state have tested positive for the flu, that's up from 527 cases last week. The number of people hospitalized has also increased to 268 from 162 last week.

Health officials are keeping a close eye on the increase number of cases since last season was one of the deadliest for the virus in the last five years with 154 flu related deaths in Connecticut.

So far this year Hartford County has seen the highest number of flu cases with New Haven County a close second, and Fairfield County having the lowest number of reported cases so far this season.

Even those who have received the flu shot are not totally out of the woods. According to the DPH, last years flu vaccine was only 36 percent effective in preventing the flu virus.