LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County has had its first flu-related death in a person under age 65 so far this season, which state officials said has been especially severe.
Lake County Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait said her department received a report on Monday of a woman in her 40s who had died with a positive flu test.
Tait said she had essentially no background information at that point about risk factors the woman had for flu complications.
Lake County hasn't had a reportable flu-related death since the 2013-14 flu season, according to state records. Tait had confirmed that fatal case – in a woman between 30 and 40 years of age, in February 2014.
Earlier this month, the California Department of Public Health reported that the state was experiencing more severe influenza activity than last year, with “significantly higher numbers of hospitalizations and outbreaks.”
The last information on reportable flu deaths released by the agency, through Jan. 21, confirmed 23 influenza-associated deaths statewide.
CDPH said the numbers it has are only a fraction of the statewide flu deaths because only deaths in people younger than 65 are reported to the state and not all influenza-related deaths are easily attributable to influenza.
Overall, Tait said Lake County is experiencing a lot of flu activity this year.
She did not have total case numbers, but added that they are confirmed to be up from last year, just as they are all around California.
She said outbreaks in health care facilities are reportable to the county Public Health Department, which – along with CDPH’s Licensing and Certification Division – works with those facilities to take measures to interrupt the spread of infection. Tait said she does not make public specific facility information when it comes to such outbreaks.
“I will say that we have had some reports of outbreaks in congregate settings, and one of them was probably another respiratory illness other than influenza,” she explained. “There are various viruses circulating at this time of year that can look like flu, including parainfluenza viruses and, in young children, respiratory syncytial virus, which has been confirmed in a number of pediatric cases of illness.”
Tait encouraged people to get vaccinated, noting that it's not too late in the season to do so, although she said it takes a couple of weeks for the protective effects to kick in.
“There is a good match between the vaccine and circulating strains this year,” she said. “Even so, vaccination is not 100-percent effective at preventing infection, but a vaccinated person is less likely to be hospitalized or die from any infection that occurs.”
Since this is the season for all kinds of respiratory virus infections, Tait also suggested taking other measures to be protected from illness, including good hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette – coughing into an elbow rather than into one's hand – and staying home when sick.
She said people with chronic medical conditions should contact their health care provider right away if they develop fever with sore throat or cough because they might benefit from antiviral treatment for influenza.
Tait said anyone interested in a flu shot can call the Lake County Public Health Department at 707-263-1090 to arrange for a vaccination.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Season's first flu death in person under age 65 confirmed in Lake County
- Elizabeth Larson
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