St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - Indicators tracked by state health officials suggest flu activity in Minnesota continued to decline last week, but overall influence the activity statewide was classified as “regional” for a 2nd straight week.

There was another sharp decline in the number of flu-related hospitalizations reported to the Minnesota Department of Health. The preliminary tally of 134 hospitalizations is over 500 below the number reported in mid-January as the flu season was peaking in Minnesota. Since the start of the flu season last fall, over 5400 people have been hospitalized because of flu-related complications.

The number of outbreaks reported by Minnesota schools last week was nearly steady at 23, which was just one above the total report of the previous week. The number of confirmed outbreaks in Minnesota nursing homes and other care facilities fell from 13 to 8 last week.

The health department also reported drops in the percentage of people reporting to outpatient clinics with flu-like symptoms and the percentage of positive results for the flu in samples submitted for laboratory testing.

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