The Allegheny County Health Department updated its influenza numbers for the region, and cases are rising to near pre-pandemic levels.
As of December 18, the health department is reporting 1,016 cases, significantly higher than 2020, which was to be expected. In Allegheny County, only 28 cases were reported and one patient hospitalized.
No deaths were reported in 2020, due to influenza.
The 2021 flu season is a different story. Five patients needed to be hospitalized, as well as one death reported by the health department. This is comparted to 2019, where 2,113 cases were counted, coupled with 17 hospitalizations.
In September, Kevin Battle and Larry Richert spoke to Dr. Mark Roberts, Director of the Public Health Dynamic Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh, on the KDKA Morning Show about the presumed bad flu season 2021 could encounter.
