HARTFORD, Conn. — Health officials in Connecticut say the state has seen 77 flu-related deaths this season, the highest number in five years.
The state Department of Public Health said Thursday that 14 flu-related deaths were reported last week alone.
Public Health Commissioner Raul Pino warned that additional fatalities are expected since flu activity remains high and widespread.
Flu-related hospital visits continue to tick upward, at more than 14 percent of all emergency room visits last week. That's the highest weekly level Connecticut has seen since the 2009 swine flu pandemic.
There have been 1,638 patients hospitalized with confirmed cases of flu and nearly 5,000 influenza-positive laboratory tests have been reported since the season started in August.
Sixty-two of the 77 deaths reported this season were among patients over the age of 65.
