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11 Flu Deaths So Far in Delaware

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WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - Delaware state health officials say the flu has killed 11 residents so far this season and hundreds of more have been hospitalized.

The News Journal of Wilmington reports health officials said Monday that the three most recent deaths involved Kent County residents who had underlying health conditions and were infected with the Influenza A strain.

Officials say there were 10 confirmed flu deaths at this time last year. This season, officials say there were more than 2,000 confirmed flu cases and 350 hospitalizations as of Feb. 2. The rising number of cases has led some hospitals to implement visitation restrictions to avoid spreading the virus.

The state's last flu season was the worst in its history, with 35 people killed by the flu and more than 9,000 confirmed flu cases.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.