3 die in Saskatchewan after contracting flu

Three people inSaskatchewan have died aftercontracting influenza, health officials announced at a news conferenceFriday.

Two of those who diedwere children under the age of five. The third was a middle-aged person.

All three had underlying health conditions. Officials did not say where they were from.

There have been 161 lab-confirmed cases of the flu this flu season, with the vast majority being the H1N1strain, according to deputy chief medical health office Denise Werker.

Saskatoon Health Region reports 31 hospitalizations from influenza, with 22 of these occurring since Dec.23.

Officials are urging members of the public to get their flu shots. The latest formulation of the flu vaccineprotects against H1N1.