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If you're in the news business, the quote today from Minnesota Health Commissioner Dr. Edward Ehlinger makes a lousy lede:  "We are clearly at a high level of influenza activity in the state.But it's important to keep this year in perspective: What is occurring has happened before. This is what influenza looks like, this is what it can do. "

A far more compelling lede is the one you'll probably hear and see over the next day or so: 23 people are dead from flu-

And that is, of course, terrible. But is it notable?  The recitation of numbers doesn't tell us anything without context. Are 23 deaths unusual, compared to any other season? Of the 23 who passed away, what percentage had other illnesses, such as asthma or lung disease?

Consider this graphic from the Minnesota Department of Health released today:

There appear to be three spikes to every outbreak. We're on #2 now.

Clearly it's a bad year for the flu, but -- and this is another quote from Dr. Ehlinger -- we've been here before. The number of cases has reached this high, just not this early in the year. Does that mean it'll be this high all year or might we reach the peak earlier too?

The answers to those questions provide more details than gripping headlines. So hear are some of the answers from the MDH's press release today:

And, for the record, this is what the death toll in previous flu outbreaks has been:

Get a flu shot, cover your mouth, and -- as we discussed yesterday -- stay home when you get sick. If you need a note for the boss, let me know.  Or just use this one:

Bob Collins

Author

It's a bad year for the flu, but it's not worth panicking over.

Flu: ‘It’s important to keep this in perspective’

Go Deeper.

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