State's flu rate down, but still double the norm

Published Nov. 18, 2009 at 6:05 a.m.

TOPEKA — The percentage of people reporting flulike symptoms at outpatient clinics has declined slightly but is still twice the number of reports normally seen this time of year, Kansas health officials say.

Usually about 2 percent of patients at outpatient clinics have flulike symptoms at this time of year, but clinics reported that 5.6 percent of their patients last week had flulike symptoms, said state epidemiologist Charlie Hunt.

Despite a small decline from the previous two weeks, the number is "still more than twice the normal level of flu activity and is unprecedented at this time of year," Hunt said.

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