Week two (January 8–14) of 2012 continued to indicate a weak 2011/2012 influenza season, with no long-term care facility outbreaks identified in either week one or two of 2012, and only two outbreaks so far during the season. Additional influenza data:

• The percentage of tests positive for influenza during week two as reported from the MN Lab System (MLS) Laboratory Influenza Surveillance Program:
• Rapid influenza testing: 3.3% positive
• PCR testing: 4.6% positive
• Viral culture: 2 specimens positive for influenza A
• 11 people were hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza during week two. Since the start of the influenza season, 42 persons have been hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza.
• No deaths were identified during week two. Since the start of the influenza season, three influenza-related death have been reported.
• No long-term care facilities (defined as skilled nursing facilities) reported confirmed outbreaks of influenza during week two. Since the start of the season, two outbreaks of influenza have been reported.
• No schools reported outbreaks of influenza-like illness (ILI) during week two. Since the start of the season, 14 outbreaks of ILI have been reported.
• The percentage of influenza-like illness visits to outpatient clinics involved in the U.S. Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance (ILINet) was below the regional baseline at 0.8%

Circulating respiratory pathogen surveillance

• Of specimens tested from four outpatient sites for circulating viral respiratory pathogens in the previous three weeks for which data are available:
• 13% were positive for rhinovirus
• 6% were positive for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
• 6% were positive for parainfluenza virus 1
• 4% were positive for adenovirus
• 1% were positive for parainfluenza virus 4

• Of specimens positive for a viral pathogen at Minnesota’s six virology laboratories during week two:
• 40 were positive for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
• five were positive for adenovirus
• two were positive for parainfluenza virus 1
• two were positive for cytomegalovirus (CMV)
• two were positive influenza A
• one was positive for parainfluenza virus 3
• one was positive for enterovirus
• one was positive for rhinovirus

Read more information about the 2011/2012 influenza season in Minnesota, including the full weekly activity reports, here.

Doug Beardsley
952.851.2489
dbeardsl@careproviders.org