Update (Jan. 29):
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The number of flu deaths in Arkansas has risen to 31.

The Arkansas Department of Health says the victim’s ages were:

24 deaths in people over age 65
5 deaths in people 45-64
2 deaths in people 25-44

Update (Jan. 28):
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The number of flu deaths in Arkansas has risen to 28.

The Arkansas Department of Health says the victim’s ages were:

21 deaths in people over age 65
5 deaths in people 45-64
2 deaths in people 25-44

Update (Jan. 27):
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The number of flu deaths in Arkansas has risen to 27.

The Arkansas Department of Health says the victim’s ages were:
20 deaths in people over age 65
5 deaths in people 45-64
2 deaths in people 25-44

Update (Jan. 23):
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The number of flu deaths in Arkansas has risen to 25.

The Arkansas Department of Health says the victim’s ages were:
19 in people over age 65
4 deaths in people 45-64
2 deaths in people 25-44

Update (Jan. 22):
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The number of flu deaths in Arkansas has risen to 24.

The Arkansas Department of Health says the victim’s ages were:
18 in people over age 65
4 deaths in people 45-64
2 deaths in people 25-44

Update (Jan. 20):
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The number of flu deaths in Arkansas now totals 23.

The Arkansas Department of Health says the victim’s ages were:
17 deaths in people 65+
4 deaths in people 45-64
2 deaths in people 25-44

Update (Jan. 15):
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The number of flu deaths in Arkansas now totals 18.

The Arkansas Department of Health says the victims ages were:
12 deaths in people 65+
 4 deaths in people 45-64
 2 deaths in people 25-44

Update (Jan. 13):
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The number of flu deaths in Arkansas now totals 17.

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) reported on Tuesday that’s how many people have died from influenza since September 2014. Fifteen of those deaths have occurred within the last month.

The ADH says of the 17 victims, eleven were ages 65+, four were 45-64 years old and two were 25-44.

Update (Jan. 12):
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The Arkansas Department of Health reports that the state’s flu death total has risen to 15. 

Update (Jan. 8):
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The number of flu deaths in Arkansas continues to increase.

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) reported on Thursday that 14 people have died from influenza since September 2014. Twelve of those deaths have occurred within the last two weeks.

Update (Jan. 7):
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The number of flu deaths in Arkansas continues to increase.

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) reported on Wednesday that 10 people have died from the influenza since Dec. 30 which brings the total since September 2014 to 12.

The ADH says there have been no pediatric deaths.

Update (Jan. 6):
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The number of flu deaths in Arkansas continues to rise.

The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) today reported that nine people have died from the influenza since Dec. 30, bringing the total since September 2014 to 11.

The ADH says of the 11 victims, six were ages 65+, four were 45-64 years old and one was 25-44.

Original story (Jan. 5):
LITTLE ROCK, AR – The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) says six people have died from the flu since Dec. 30, bringing the total since September 2014 to eight.

In its Dec. 27 influenza report, the ADH said over 1,800 positive influenza antigen tests had been reported in the last week. Those cases were in 66 of the state’s 75 counties.

Among flu antigen tests that can distinguish between A and B strains, 92 percent were A, and 8 percent were B, the report noted.

The report also stated that over 18 percent of patients visiting emergency rooms in that time period were for ILI (influenza-like illness).

Arkansas reported “Widespread” influenza activity to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for week 52.

Nationwide, and for week 51, the geographic spread of influenza in 36 states was reported as widespread.

Click here to read the latest weekly influenza report from the ADH.

Click here to learn how to protect yourself from the flu.