Minnesota sees first flu death of season

One person in Minnesota has now died from influenza, state health officials confirmed Thursday. It is the state’s first flu death of the season. 

The number of people hospitalized increased this week from five to eight, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. Nineteen people have been hospitalized so far this flu season. Last season, 95 people died from the flu, which was a large decrease from 440 deaths during the 2017-2018 season.

MDH considers the current geographic spread of the flu in Minnesota to be sporadic.