2 Flu Deaths In Santa Clara Co. Before Season Officially Starts

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — Two people under the age of 65 years have died of the flu in Santa Clara County, the health department announced Tuesday.

One was an adult and the other a child — both with an unverified flu vaccination status.

Flu season in the United States usually starts at the beginning of October each year. However, influenza viruses circulate year-round.

The adult who died had other medical conditions that put the individual at increased risk of severe complications from the flu. The child who died was previously healthy and had recently returned from traveling overseas. This child most likely contracted the influenza virus outside of the United States.

Both cases are still being investigated.

Due to medical privacy requirements, further details about these individuals have not be released.

The last flu season that starts in 2018 and runs through the winter and spring of 2019 brought eight flu-associated deaths in people under 65 years, Santa Clara County reported.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 80,000 people of all ages in the United States died of the flu and its complications. During that flu season, about 80 percent of those who died were unvaccinated.

"Flu and the flu season are predictably unpredictable. It’s too early to say what these two reported deaths may indicate about this flu season," County Health Officer and Director of the Public Health Department Dr. Sara Cody said. "Getting vaccinated is still the best protection. I get my flu shot to protect myself and others, like my elderly mother. I don’t always enjoy getting my flu shot. Who does? I do it because it could be lifesaving."

During last season, there were 27 cases of severe flu in individuals under the age of 65 reported in Santa Clara County, the Public Health Department indicated.

The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms of the flu may be similar to those of the common cold but are usually more severe. It takes about two weeks for the flu vaccine to become effective. While the flu vaccine is recommended for everyone six months and older, it is especially important to get for pregnant women, children younger than five, adults 65 and older as well as those with chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, asthma and diabetes.

Health officials advise individuals to take the following steps to protect themselves and loved ones from flu:

• Get the flu vaccine every year.
• Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and warm water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Cover your cough and sneezes.
• Stay home when you are sick, and keep your children home when they are sick.
• Stay home until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours.

Symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, along with muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue. People at higher risk of severe disease who show flu symptoms should contact their medical provider. Medical providers may prescribe antiviral medications that reduce the severity and duration of illness.

Antibiotics are not effective against the flu. Individuals are encouraged to contact their health care provider to get their flu shot. The vaccine is also available at pharmacies and retail stores, and it is offered by some employers. To find locations for the flu vaccine, citizens are asked to tap into the Vaccine Finder.

See also

• First Flu Death Under Age 65 Reported In Santa Clara County