Minnesota confirms six more deaths linked to H1N1 2009 influenza

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MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota health officials reported six more swine flu deaths and one more from an undetermined flulike illness on Thursday, but said overall flu activity in the state dipped again.

The new deaths brought the state’s total number of confirmed deaths from swine flu as of Saturday to 21, plus two from unspecified flulike illnesses since the H1N1 virus first turned up in the state, the Minnesota Department of Health said in its weekly update.

The latest data also showed flu activity continuing to wane slightly for the second straight week in Minnesota. Forty Minnesota schools, mostly in the Twin Cities metro area, reported outbreaks of flulike illnesses last week, down from 137 the week before. Visits for flulike illnesses to selected outpatient clinics across the state decreased. And no outbreaks were reported at the state’s long-term care facilities last week.

“I don’t want to say that we have peaked because we do want have to have several weeks of data. ... But we have several indicators that look good,” said state epidemiologist Ruth Lynfield.

The confirmed swine flu deaths occurred in Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, Beltrami, Stevens and Wadena counties, while the suspected case, where officials weren’t able to get a laboratory sample, happened in Mower County.

The state still isn’t getting as much vaccine as it wants or needs, said Kris Ehresmann, who directs the department’s vaccine program.

“We at the Department of Health are frustrated and we know that the public is frustrated as well,” Ehresmann said.

The department is still relying on health care providers that get vaccine shipments to target the people who need it the most, spokesman Buddy Ferguson said.

“We’ve been encouraging providers to reach out to their high-risk patients,” Ferguson said. “We’ve been asking the public to be patient and persistent.”

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