Influenza

RiverStone Health and the state health department say an elderly, unvaccinated man died at a Billings hospital over Thanksgiving weekend.

Early indicators have state public health officials bracing for what could be a significant influenza season, prompting them to urge Montanans to get their flu shot in the coming weeks.

Montana’s influenza cases have nearly doubled since mid-January. The surge comes as COVID-19 hospitalizations are spiking.

The state health department’s latest update now confirms over 1,400 cases, and the state as a whole is less vaccinated than last year. So far there have been 59 reported influenza hospitalizations in Montana.

With too many teachers out sick with COVID-19, the Smith Valley School in Kalispell is shifting to remote learning. One of the state’s largest districts, Great Falls Public Schools, also shifted to remote learning due to staffing shortages this week.

RiverStone Health says a child under the age of 18 died Dec. 24 in Yellowstone County.

The number of Montanans who have tested positive for influenza this year continues to grow following last year’s nonexistent flu season.

After a year-long absence, influenza has returned to Yellowstone County.

Health officials were testing for influenza last flu season, but detected none.

Flu season is here, and health officials say it could be one marked by both influenza and COVID-19, further stressing Montana's already strained health care system. A word has already been coined for that potential viral convergence: “twindemic.”