Top 10 High-Risk Flu Locations Right Now in Rochester, MN

My workday got cut short today thanks to this text message that I got from my husband,

"I don't feel good - can you stop at the store and get some medicine on your way home? I'm sick."

He got the crud.  And he's not the only one.  According to Minnesota Department of Health, there were about 2,000 hospitalizations due to flu symptoms as of December 31st, 2025.  Those numbers have increased even more and as of January 8th, 2026, there are almost 3,000 hospitalizations in our state.

READ MORE: 20 Essential Items To Keep On Hand During Cold and Flu Season

My house is currently one of the "hotspots" for flu, so definitely stay away from us.  But if you are hoping to keep those nasty germs away from you, below are the top hot spots you may want to avoid.

Top 10 Hotspots Where You Are Most Likely To Catch The Flu In Rochester, Minnesota

The flu virus is surging right now in Minnesota.  According to the World Health Organization, there are about a billion cases of influenza every year.  Unfortunately, about 3 million to 5 million of those cases end up being severe.

I'll share one of my tips for keeping the flu virus away from me below.  But first, here are a few of the top 10 spots were influenza germs tend to be the highest.

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My Personal Tip For Helping Keep The Flu Away

I'm probably a little bit more OCD about germs than most.  There is a reason though - my husband, who is the one currently sick, has many medical conditions.  I'm sure you've heard of the word "immunocompromised", and that fits him to a "T".

He has a condition called Common Variable Immune Deficiency.  For those of us not in the medical world, this means that his body doesn't produce antibodies to fight infections.  When he was first diagnosed, he had nothing in him to fight anything.  In other words, him being sick puts me on high alert to watch for other symptoms.

My personal tip.  Obviously, you have to still live life and be out and about in Rochester.  So do I.  My person tip is this - when I use a door handle, I never touch it with my bare hands.  My front door, bathroom, bedroom,...I either have a paper towel, a Clorox wipe or some type of barrier between me and the door.  This is especially true in public places.

If you don't live with someone who is immunocompromised, you probably don't have to be as extreme as me.  But you probably don't have as many hospital bills as us either.  ;)

Stay safe this flu season, use a little more hand sanitizer...and stay healthy!