Flu toll rises in southern U.S. states

A total of 71 people have died of influenza since the flu season began late September last year in the United States, two state health authorities confirmed on Thursday.

The Oklahoma Department of Health said that influenza killed 16 people in the state last week, bringing to 47 the total number of people who have died since Sept. 28, 2014, the beginning of this flu season, from the contagious respiratory illness, according to local media reports.

Of the 47 flu victims, 36 were 65 years old or older while six were in the 50-64 age group, the health authorities said, adding that 1,206 people have also been hospitalized, including 100 in the past week.

During the flu season, Oklahoma saw a total of 61 deaths due to the flu-related illness.

Meanwhile, the Arkansas Department of Health said that influenza has taken 24 lives in the state since last September, of which 18 victims were over 65 years old.

The state witnessed a small drop in flu activity from last week to this week, but the decline was too small to determine if the flu season has peaked or not, officials from the health department said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned a bad flu season and health officials in the two states have urged people to take flu shots as there is no protective measures more effective available so far.

Flu shots normally prevent 60 to 65 percent of infections serious enough for people to see a doctor, but this year's flu shot has been only 23 percent effective because one of the main strains of the flu sickening people was not included in this season's flu shot. Endi