MANKATO — Minnesota is in the midst of its biggest spike in influenza hospitalizations since at least 2019, although data showed the surge so far hasn’t hit the Mankato region.
Hospitalizations in the Twin Cities metro drove the sharp uptick, according to the Minnesota Department of Health’s weekly flu report, amounting to 722 statewide in the week ending on Jan. 4. No season since at least 2019-2020 had a higher peak.
Overall Minnesota has had 1,763 hospitalizations from the flu this season, with 67 of them being in the south-central region including Mankato.
The south-central region’s total is modestly above last year’s number up to this point, 62. Of the 67 this season, 23 of them occurred in the most recent reporting week.
Blue Earth County is one of the few in the state to be considered in low-risk territory for all of influenza, COVID-19 and RSV over the last week, according to data updated Thursday. The county had three flu, five COVID-19 and zero RSV hospitalizations.
Nicollet County narrowly missed out on the same distinction. It is considered in moderate-risk territory for influenza given its two weekly hospitalizations and lower population.
Apart from respiratory illnesses, Minnesota had a severe stretch of norovirus in December. The illness is otherwise known as the stomach flu and is characterized by vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramping.
The 40-plus outbreaks reported in the state as of Dec. 23 were twice the usual number, the health department announced in a news release.