Los Angeles County health officials have confirmed the county’s first flu death of this year’s season and are reminding everyone to get a flu shot before more people get sick, reports the Los Angeles Times.
The person who died was elderly and had underlying health conditions, according to the county Department of Public Health.
“This is a sad reminder that the flu can be a serious illness, especially for the elderly, young children and people with weakened immune systems,” Dr. Muntu Davis, a Los Angeles County health officer, said Thursday in a prepared statement. “I would like to remind everyone that even if you’re healthy, you can still get seriously sick from the flu and spread the illness to others. Immunization is the best method to protect yourself and reduce the likelihood of spreading flu to others in your community.”
Eleven people have died in California from influenza this season, according to data published last week by the California Department of Public Health.
