Nine more New Brunswickers have died from the flu, bringing this season’s total to 39.

That is according to new influenza data from Public Health for the week ending Dec. 17.

“In New Brunswick, influenza activity remained high but started to decrease,” said the weekly report.

A total of 134 people were hospitalized during the week for a total of 704 so far this season. That was down from 146 new hospitalizations the previous week.

There were 711 new positive cases — down from just over 1,000 the previous week — for a total of 3,538 lab-confirmed cases this season.

For reporting purposes, the flu season begins in late August and continues through the following August.

Numbers so far this season are trending much higher than all of last season, which saw five deaths, 92 hospitalizations and 442 cases.

During the 2018-19 flu season — the last full season before the pandemic — New Brunswick reported 38 flu deaths, 619 hospitalizations and 3,008 lab-confirmed cases.