There have been four new deaths attributed to the flu in Maine for the week ending Jan. 14, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, the same week had a decline in overall flu cases, with the number of flu-related outpatient visits dropping to 2.57%. 

Flu-related hospitalizations showed a steep drop, from 67 the previous week to only 13 in the Maine CDC’s most recent report. 

The number of positive tests in a single week dipped below 500, with 441 cases.

Maine CDC’s severity map, which labels each county based on local data such as deaths and hospitalizations, shows the entire state classified as “low,” the first time since the disease peaked in late December 2021.

Nationwide, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the disease is declining. 

The latest CDC data shows at least 24 million illnesses, 260,000 hospitalizations and 16,000 deaths since flu season began on Oct. 2, 2022.