A Yellowstone County man is Montana’s first flu death of the season.
RiverStone Health and the state health department on Thursday announced the elderly, unvaccinated man died at a Billings hospital over Thanksgiving weekend. No other details were shared.
Montana reported the season’s first case of the flu in September. Riverstone says as of Wednesday, there have been 474 reported cases, 29 hospitalizations and one death in Yellowstone County due to the flu. Statewide, there have been 957 cases and 27 hospitalizations as of Nov. 19.
The state health department’s most recent influenza report shows 500 new cases of influenza were reported the week of Nov. 13-19; 188 of those were in Gallatin County, and 136 were in Yellowstone.
The report notes influenza activity increased over the previous reporting period, when fewer than 300 new cases were confirmed.
After an non-existent flu season in 2020-21, the state saw a resurgence of flu activity last winter, and health officials are warning of a severe flu season ahead.
RiverStone Health has the flu vaccine available. People can also wear a mask, wash hands often, and stay home when they’re sick to avoid spreading the flu.
