Nearly 2,000 Missourians have died from complications from the flu this season, which generally runs from October through April, but health officials say it’s been a mild year.
The Missouri Department of Health says there have been 1,810 deaths to date this flu season, and despite that people think the danger of the flu has passed for the year, it typically peaks in March. Health officials believe that peak has just past when looking at the weekly totals of illnesses and deaths.
Spokeswoman Jacqueline LaPine says the statewide data — which tracks influenza cases as well complications from it, such as pneumonia — shows the weekly median for deaths this season was about 70 … this past week 95 people in Missouri died from the flu. Those numbers are down from previous years.
LaPine says though it looks like we’re on the downward trend of the season’s peak, but that it’s not too late to get vaccinated with a couple months to go until the threat of the flu ends for the season.
She says the best way to protect yourself and others from the illness is to practice good hygiene — washing your hands frequently, covering your cough and staying home when you’re sick.
Jessica Machetta reports [mp3, 1:15 min.]
