Covid-19 testing, distancing play role in record-breaking flu season

On one hand, efforts to slow the spread of covid-19 likely have contributed to a declining number of new flu cases in recent weeks, state Department of Health spokeswoman Brittany Lauffer said Wednesday.

On the other, increased testing to identify covid-19 cases and people’s concern about the illness likely have helped doctors diagnose a record number of flu cases this season, she said.

“We think that the natural wind-down of flu season is (playing a role in the declining numbers). However, we also theorize that more people are getting tested for the flu as they present with possible covid-19 symptoms to a health care provider,” said Lauffer.

“We do expect that social distancing will slow the spread of most viruses, including covid-19, the flu and even the common cold, because people are not gathered in an area exposing one another,” she added.

Over the past week, total laboratory-confirmed influenza cases increased by 3% to 128,736 and related hospitalizations went up 4% to 3,153, the Department of Health said.

The numbers don’t include covid-19 cases, Lauffer said.

The number of new cases has been smaller than it was the week before for each of the past six weeks, according to the state data.

The peak of the flu season was the week of Feb. 2-8.

Number of Pa. Influenza Cases by Week of First Report

Seven new influenza-associated deaths were reported over the past week, increasing the total for this flu season to 100. Of the new deaths, four were 65 or older, while three were in the 50-to-64 age group.

This season, 68 of the 100 people who died were 65 or older, while 21 people were between the ages of 50 and 64; 10 people were 19 to 49; and one person was 18 or younger.

In the seven-county Pittsburgh area that includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Westmoreland and Washington, flu cases increased by 2% to 25,853.

Allegheny County continued to lead the state in total flu cases with 13,546 as of the week ending March 21. Montgomery County was second with 9,601. Forest County had the fewest number of confirmed cases so far this season with nine, according to the Health Department.