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St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - Hospitalizations due to influenza in Minnesota finally dipped a bit last week but the number of influenza-related school outbreaks continues to climb.

The weekly update on flu activity from the Minnesota Department of Health shows there were 241 flu-related hospitalizations in the state during the past week. That is down from the 275 hospitalizations reported the previous week, which was the second consecutive week the number of hospitalizations had doubled.

Minnesota Dept. Health
Minnesota Dept. Health
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The number of outbreaks of influenza-like illness in Minnesota schools continued to rise last week, but the increase was not quite as steep as it had been the previous two weeks. 240 schools throughout the state reported outbreaks last week. The total from the week before was 195.

Minnesota Dept. Health
Minnesota Dept. Health
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The number of influenza outbreaks in long-term care facilities across the state remains relatively low. There were three outbreaks reported last week. Since the beginning of the flu season, there have only been seven outbreaks in Minnesota long-term care facilities.

The early and rapid spread of influenza in Minnesota, combined with the early and aggressive advance of RSV illness has been straining parts of the state's healthcare infrastructure. The number of school outbreaks is already much higher than it has been in the past several years and the elevated level of flu-related hospitalizations is occurring a month or more ahead of time of the year flu season typically surges.

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