Indiana Confirms First Flu Death as Norton Cases Reach 2,243

Indiana health officials confirmed the state's first flu-related death of the season on Thursday, while Norton Healthcare reported a sharp jump in cases across Metro Louisville and southern Indiana. The Indiana Department of Health did not release the county where the death occurred or any details about the patient, citing privacy rules.

Norton Healthcare said flu cases across its system rose more than 60% between last week and this week. The biggest share of the increase is among children, according to the health system's data. Flu cases counted from early September through the end of October reached 2,243 this year, compared with 351 over the same window in 2025.

Dr. Daniel Blatt, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Norton Children's, said the reasons behind the climb are not clear. "Every year with the flu is really different because the virus changes every year," Blatt said. He added that shifts in population patterns and in how many people get vaccinated also make it difficult to identify a single cause.

Blatt said the illness deserves attention despite how common it is. "People often dismiss flu because everyone knows someone who has gotten the flu, but in reality, it's a really dangerous disease," he said. Norton Healthcare serves Metro Louisville and southern Indiana.