‘A sad reminder.’ North Carolina officials confirm first flu death of the season.
State health officials on Wednesday confirmed the state’s first flu-related death of the season.
An adult in western North Carolina died of complications of influenza the third week of October, according to a news release by the state Department of Health and Human Services.
To protect the family’s privacy, department officials said they won’t release the person’s name, age, gender, hometown or county.
“This is a sad reminder that flu can be a serious illness and can lead to complications and even death in some cases,” state epidemiologist Dr. Zack Moore said in the release. “With flu cases increasing and COVID-19 still with us, it is tremendously important for people to get a flu vaccine this year.”
Influenza cases and deaths reached historic lows during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 influenza seasons, officials said.
That’s because precautions people took to slow the spread of the coronavirus also slowed the spread of the flu and other respiratory illnesses, McClatchy News previously reported, citing state health officials.
Influenza deaths ranged from 186 to 391 the five seasons before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to NCDHHS.
Illnesses from respiratory viruses other than COVID-19 have risen to levels higher than any time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, health officials said. That includes influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, according to the state.
Everyone six months and older should get the flu vaccination every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To find a nearby flu vaccine location, visit vaccines.gov/find-vaccines.
In North Carolina, flu infections are most common from late fall to early spring, according to the NCDHHS. The season typically peaks in January or February, officials said.
This story was originally published October 26, 2022 at 5:23 PM.