Delaware Influenza 2014-2015 Season, 26 fatalities

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.wdel.com/story.php?id=65503

UPDATE: Delaware flu deaths climb to 14 total
By DJ McAneny 1:38pm, January 15, 2015 - Updated 4:09pm, January 15, 2015

Delaware Health and Social Services's Division of Public Health (DPH) announced Thursday that the number of flu fatalities in the state has risen to 14 total following three deaths in the past week.

All but a single case of death caused by the flu has occurred when the patient was the age of 65 or older, and all 13 had underlying health issues. The outlier was a 53-year-old.

A total of 1,530 lab-confirmed cases of the flu are now present in Delaware, the DPH said in the announcement. Seniors and caretakers were urged to use extreme caution with symptoms this flu season...

[Ronan Kelly]

Del. flu death total rises to 16
robin brown, The News Journal 3:02 p.m. EST January 18, 2015

Two more flu deaths confirmed in Delaware have brought the statewide total to 16, health officials say.

Department of Health and Social Services Secretary Rita Landgraf has called this flu season?s death rate ?unprecedented in recent years.?

The new total doubles the previous peak in recent years of seven flu deaths statewide in the 2009-10 season.
...

http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2015/01/18/del-flu-death-total-rises/21960861/

[Ronan Kelly]

State: 19 flu deaths in Del., highest in 5 years
Jen Rini, The News Journal 1:38 p.m. EST January 23, 2015

The Delaware Division of Public Health confirmed that was yet another influenza death, raising the death toll to 19, the highest number of fatalities in the last five years.

All 19 individuals had underlying conditions and 18 were over 65 years of age, Emily Knearl, the division's section chief of Health and Risk Communication, said Friday morning.

More than half of the seniors lived at home, she said.

Slightly less than one-third of the people who died had been vaccinated.
...

http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2015/01/23/state-flu-deaths-del-highest-last-years/22214355/

[Ronan Kelly]

Delaware flu deaths reach 20
Jen Rini, The News Journal 8:36 p.m. EST January 30, 2015

Delaware health officials say the volume of influenza cases and deaths so far this season has been higher than they have seen over the last decade as the season's peak remains unclear.

As of Thursday evening the Delaware Division of Public Health confirmed 20 flu-related fatalities, the highest number in the last five years and tripling the deaths the state saw in the 2014 flu season.

To date there have been 1,927 confirmed cases, which about mid-season is the second highest influenza caseload since 2004. By comparison, the 2009 to 2010 season characterized by the swine flu, H1N1, epidemic saw 2,247 cases.
...

http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2015/01/30/delaware-flu-deaths-reach/22620709/

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.wboc.com/story/28047831/d...ed-in-delaware


DPH: 21 Flu Deaths Confirmed in Delaware
Posted: Feb 06, 2015 6:44 PM EST

DOVER, Del. - Flu deaths continue to rise in Delaware with one more announced Friday bringing the total to 21 so far this season, according to health officials.

The Delaware Division of Public Health said Friday this is the largest number of flu fatalities in recent memory. DPH says there is also now 2,041 lab-confirmed cases, which exceeds the total number of cases for any full flu season in the past decade with the exception of the H1N1 outbreak in 2009-2010.

DPH says it's important to note that all but two of the deceased are over age 65 and all 21 had underlying medical conditions...

[Ronan Kelly]

State: Don?t be fooled by weekly flu case drop
Jen Rini, The News Journal 4:29 p.m. EST February 20, 2015

Though it appears that the frequency of new flu cases in Delaware is slowing down, don?t think the end is near, health officials say.

To date there have been 2,172 confirmed cases, which is on track to potentially be the highest number in the last decade. By comparison the highest case load to date, the 2009 to 2010 season characterized by the swine flu, H1N1, epidemic saw 2,247 cases.
...
Even so, the flu-related death toll has reached 23, Knearl said. Twenty-one of Delaware's flu fatalities were over the age of 65 with two in their early 50s. All individuals had underlying conditions, such as lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, respiratory problems and weak immune systems.

All complications were brought on by versions of the H3N2 virus.
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http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2015/02/20/state-fooled-weekly-flu-case-drop/23758721/

[Ronan Kelly]

Delaware?s current flu season proving to be deadliest in years
By Ashton Brown
Delaware State News

Updated February 27, 2015
DOVER ? Three more deaths attributed to the flu have raised this season?s mortality rate to 26 for Delaware.

That makes the 2014-2015 flu season the deadliest in recent years by almost threefold, according to the latest figures released by the Delaware Division of Public Health on Thursday.
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http://delaware.newszap.com/centraldelaware/138560-70/delawares-current-flu-season-proving-to-be-deadliest-in-years

[Ronan Kelly]

Del. Flu Cases Surpass Record 2009-2010 H1N1 "Swine Flu" Year
Posted: Mar 26, 2015 11:15 AM EDT
Updated: Mar 26, 2015 11:18 AM EDT
By Lauren LinsCONNECT

DOVER, Del.- With a total of 2,309 lab-confirmed flu cases to date, Delaware's flu year now has surpassed the number of lab-confirmed cases for the 2009-2010 H1N1 outbreak (then referred to as the ?swine flu?).
The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services says the total number of lab-confirmed cases for that year was 2,247. This flu year already had seen record-breaking fatality numbers with total of 28 dead. That is four times the most recent high of seven fatalities during the 2009-2010 H1N1 year.
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http://www.wboc.com/story/28622183/del-flu-cases-surpass-record-2009-2010-h1n1-swine-flu-year