Minnesota health department to launch flu hotline

The Minnesota Department of Health will launch a statewide flu hotline Wednesday, designed to provide support and treatment options for people who believe they may have the flu.

Health department officials plan to hold a press conference Wednesday morning to discuss the new FluLine.

"The first flu pandemic in 40 years is causing significant illness and could potentially place a huge burden on the health care system," MDH officials said in a statement released Tuesday.

As of Oct. 10, the Health department said 482 people had been hospitalized in Minnesota with confirmed cases of H1N1 flu and seven have died.