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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio health officials are reporting a decrease in the number of flu-related hospitalizations in what has been an unusually bad season.
Numbers released Friday by the Ohio Department of Health showed 400 flu-related hospitalizations from Jan. 18 to Jan. 24, a drop from the previous week's figure of more than 692 hospitalizations.
The new numbers bring the season's total hospitalizations to 7,199. The state doesn't report adult flu deaths, but has recorded the deaths of five children. Individual county health departments have reported several adult deaths.
Central Ohio reported 110 hospitalizations for the week, higher than any other area in the state.
Northeast Ohio's Cuyahoga County has recorded the highest number of flu-related hospitalizations in the state this season with 1,266.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said this season's vaccine may not protect as well against the dominant flu strain. A government study showed the vaccine has been only 23 percent effective, one of the worst performances in the past decade.
Health officials say getting the vaccine is still important, especially for the chronically ill, the elderly and pregnant women.
In recent years, the flu season in the U.S. has peaked in January or February.
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