January 13, 2004

The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) has downgraded the state’s influenza activity to "regional" levels, according to Dr. Matthew Boulton, the state’s Chief Medical Executive.

The "regional" level report is retroactive to the week ending January 10, Boulton said. MDCH made the decision after several influenza epidemiology indicators showed significant declines in influenza activity across the state.

The "regional" level status is the second highest national activity rating, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. Michigan has had "widespread" flu activity – the CDC’s highest rating - since early December.

"While we continue to be on guard for cases of influenza throughout the state, we are cautiously optimistic that the worst of the state’s flu season is behind us," said Janet Olszewski, Director of the Michigan Department of Community Health.

Only two regions in the state – southwest and central Michigan - are still experiencing fairly high levels of influenza activity, although those numbers are beginning to decrease as well, Boulton said.

Despite the decline in Influenza-A cases, Boulton also said that health department epidemiologists are detecting small increases in Influenza-B activity in southeast Michigan, but it is too early to tell if these numbers will climb.