Reporting Influenza

In Minnesota, influenza is a reportable disease, although MDH typically only requests reports in certain circumstances. These reports help MDH monitor changes in disease activity, severity, and strains circulating the state, as well as for any new or novel strains.

These reporting guidelines do not apply to outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network (ILINet) providers.

On this page:
What to report
How to report
Submitting clinical materials
Who is required to report
More about infectious disease reporting

What to report

Influenza meeting the following criteria should be reported to MDH within one working day:

• Any Minnesota resident hospitalized with laboratory-positive influenza
  (via DFA, IFA, viral culture, EIA, rapid test, paired serological tests, or RT-PCR)
  IF the first positive influenza test specimen collection date is not more than 14 days before the patient's admission date;
• Any influenza-related death (hospitalized or non-hospitalized) or
  critical illness (critical illness is defined as admission to the intensive care unit [ICU]);
• Unusual case incidence (clusters and suspect novel strains). 2009 H1N1 is no longer considered a novel strain.

Case definitions

• CDC: Influenza-associated Hospitalizations Case Definition
• CDC: Influenza-associated Pediatric Mortality Case Definition
• CDC: Novel Influenza a Virus Infections Case Definitions

How to report

• Yellow Disease Report Card
  This disease may be reported using the MDH "Yellow Card."
• Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC)
  You can report influenza by entering the information into the MIIC electronic system.
• Phone
  Any reportable infectious disease may be reported by phone to 651-201-5414 or 877-676-5414.

Submitting clinical materials

MDH is requesting that hospitals submit a respiratory specimen for all hospitalized patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) or clinical suspicion of influenza regardless of rapid influenza test status (positive, negative, not done) for testing by RT-PCR testing by the MDH-Public Health Laboratory (PHL).

• Specimen Collection and Testing for Seasonal Influenza
  Criteria for testing and specimen submission information.

Who is required to report

• Health care practitioners (health care facilities, medical laboratories, and in certain circumstances veterinarians and veterinary medical laboratories) are required to report disease to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) under Minnesota state law.
  • Unless previously reported, every licensed health care provider who provides care to any patient who has, is suspected of having, or has died from a reportable disease is required to report.
• Any person in charge of any institution, school, child care facility, or camp is also required to report disease to MDH.
   
• Persons Required to Report Disease
  More information about who is required to report disease.

More about infectious disease reporting

• Infectious Disease Reporting
  Find out which infectious diseases must be reported by law in Minnesota, who is required to report diseases, how each disease can be reported, and download the appropriate forms.