The Oklahoma State Department of Health is reporting the first hospitalizations in the state due to influenza in the new flu season.
The department on Thursday said eight people across the state have been hospitalized since the official start of the flu season on Oct. 2. There are no reports of flu-related deaths.
Two of those hospitalized were in Tulsa County and the others were in Carter, Cleveland, Hughes, Logan, Oklahoma and Stephens counties.
There were 13 deaths in the state due to influenza during the flu season last year, down sharply from the more than 100 deaths the year before.