UPDATE Friday, Feb. 2, 2018
UT Medical Center recorded six deaths from the flu in January.
All patients had multiple co-morbidities, according to UT spokeswoman Susan Wyatt. That means the individuals who died from the flu were suffering from a chronic disease or condition at the time they contracted and died from the flu.
According to UTMC, 199 people contracted the Flu A in January 2018 and 10 contracted Flu B. In January, 2017, only 35 contracted Flu A and 3 contracted Flu B.
ORIGINAL STORY, Friday, Jan. 26, 2018:There have been three flu deaths at UT Medical Center this season, a hospital spokeswoman said Friday.
Spokeswoman Susan Wyatt said the three individuals who died from the flu were suffering from a chronic disease or condition at the time they contracted and died from the flu.
As Friday morning, UTMC has had 163 cases of the flu reported so far this month. Last year, the hospital had 38 confirmed cases of flu in the entire month of January.
East Tennessee Children's Hospital said they have seen 432 positive cases of the flu so far this month as of Monday, Feb. 22. That's up from 281 positive flu cases at ETCH in January last year.
Data of state flu activity for the week ending on Jan. 13 shows the percentage of outpatients visiting Tennessee Sentinel Provider clinics with symptoms was 6.38 percent. According to the data UTMC provided, the CDC's usual baseline rate is 2.2 percent.
Of Tennessee's 95 counties, 61 had at least one resident with a confirmed case of flu in recent weeks.
The Tennessee Department of Health has had five flu-related deaths reported this season. The department only receives reports of flu-related deaths from children and pregnant women.
Health officials in East Tennessee, Kentucky and Western Virginia are all reporting more cases of the flu, saying flu activity is starting to reach its highest levels in some places.
The traditional flu season lasts from October through May, but in some places nationally the activity began a little earlier than usual this year.
