State confirms 7 new flu deaths, 6 from H1N1

Photo by Haukeland

​The Minnesota Department of Health has confirmed seven flu-related deaths so far this year in Minnesota, six of them from H1N1. That brings the total number of H1N1 deaths to 21 since April.

"Health officials noted that these are deaths for which the department completed its investigation this week and that MDH continues to investigate possible H1N1-related deaths on an ongoing basis," the agency said in a statement. "Six of the deaths were confirmed as 2009 H1N1 influenza related; one of the deaths occurred in an individual for which a specimen was not available but was most likely H1N1."

Those who died ranged in age from someone in their 30s to someone in their 80s, MDH said. The deaths occurred between Oct. 25 and Nov. 4.