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Fourth flu death reported in Arkansas

Times Record - 12/13/2018

Dec. 13--A fourth flu-related death for this flu season was reported by the Arkansas Department of Health on Tuesday.

The flu-related death was in the 45-64 age range. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported a total of five pediatric deaths nationwide this season. No reports of influenza outbreaks were reported from nursing homes or other facilities this season in Arkansas.

There were 228 flu-related deaths in Arkansas during the 2017-18 flu season, with one of those being under age 4. The flu vaccine last flu season did not resist the A strain of influenza, a Mercy Fort Smith physician told the Times Record in January.

For Week 48, Arkansas reported "sporadic" activity to the CDC for geographic spread of influenza, and "minimal" or 2/10 for influenza like illness intensity. Since Sept. 30, 2018, more than 1,200 positive influenza tests have been reported to the ADH online database by health care providers.

In Week 48, 31 counties reported influenza cases. The majority of reports came from Garland, Craighead, Ashley, Pulaski, Sebastian, Benton, White, Jefferson, Saline, Greene, Independence, Izard and Perry counties.

Among flu antigen tests that can distinguish between influenza A and B virus types, 68 percent were influenza A, and 32 percent were influenza B.

The average school absenteeism rate last week was 5.4 percent among public schools.

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(c)2018 Times Record (Fort Smith, Ark.)

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