A report from the Connecticut Department of Health showed a surprisingly low number of residents with the flu this year - only 32.

Dr. Daniel Gottschall, of Hartford Health, says that usually by January, there are thousands of cases reported in Connecticut hospitals.

State data shows there has only been 11 hospital admissions so far, and one death related to the flu.

During the 2019-2020 flu season, more than 12,900 cases of influenza were reported and more than 3,000 residents were hospitalized, state data shows. In addition, 79 people died.

Gottschall says the number of flu cases usually peak around the end of January to mid-February.

He says the emphasis on hand washing, mask wearing and health screenings during the pandemic has made a difference this flu season.

Gottschall says the flu is less contagious than coronavirus. He says the large number of workplaces that require a flu vaccine may also have helped avoid the spread.