The Pittsburgh area continues to lead the state in confirmed flu cases, with a large increase in Allegheny County in the past week.
There were more than 6,900 confirmed influenza cases statewide as of the week ending Dec. 14, according to the state Department of Health. That is a 57% increase over the 4,400 reported by the week ending Dec. 7.
About half of the confirmed cases statewide are in the seven-county Pittsburgh area including Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
In Allegheny County, confirmed flu cases increased by 66%, from about 1,200 to more than 2,000 , from the first to the second week of December.
Allegheny County continues to lead the state in total confirmed flu cases, accounting for about 29% of all cases.
There are now confirmed flu reports in 65 of the state’s 67 counties, according to the health department. Influenza Type B continues to be the dominant strain, accounting for about 75% of all confirmed cases.
There have been 144 flu-associated hospitalizations and seven flu-associated deaths so far this season, up from 100 hospitalizations and six deaths.
Six of the seven people who have died were 65 or older. One was in the 50-64 age group.
The state does not disclose where those deaths occurred.
