Almost 9,500 Texas Flu Deaths Recorded This Season
The Texas Department of State Health Services' latest flu surveillance report says flu activity in the state peaked in late January. It shows how hard-hit the state was, saying the season's cases through June 16, 2018, total 34,673 confirmed cases of Influenza A or B.
The worst of this year's flu season passed long ago. CDC said the 2017-18 season -- Oct. 1, 2017, to May 19, 2018 -- was high severity overall and high severity for each age group (children and adolescents, adults, and older adults), which was the first time each age group was classified as high in the same season since the 2003–04 season.
Nationwide, flu activity began increasing in November 2017 and reached an extended period of high activity during January–February 2018, remaining elevated through March, according to a June 8 CDC report. The Texas Department of State Health Services' latest flu surveillance report on June 22 says flu activity in the state peaked in late January. It shows how hard-hit the state was, saying the season's cases through June 16, 2018, total 34,673 confirmed cases of Influenza A or B.
The report says total pneumonia and influenza deaths in Texas during this season are 9,470. The number of deaths by age group is:
- Age 4 or younger: 40
- Age 5-17: 22
- Age 18-49: 568
- Age 50-64: 1,565
- Age 65 and older: 7,275