ST PAUL, Minn. — The first pediatric death of this flu season has been reported by the Minnesota Department of Health.
The flu is considered widespread with 1,200 hospitalizations so far this season - 187 of them being within the last week. Of the 1,200 hospitalizations, 31 deaths have been reported.
The metro has seen a total of 810 hospitalizations this season with the median age of those hospitalized being 52.
Last year there were 95 flu-related deaths, including one pediatric death and 2,543 hospitalizations.
With schools back in session after the holiday break, flu outbreaks in Minnesota schools continue to pick up, with 113 new school outbreaks reported last week compared with 32 new school outbreaks the previous week.
