San Diego Man, 62, Dies from H1N1

San Diego County health officials said this marks the first person under the age of 65 to die from influenza-related illness in the San Diego region this season

A 62-year-old San Diego man died last week from the H1N1 strain of influenza, the County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) reported Wednesday.

Health officials said this marks the first person under the age of 65 to die from influenza-related illness in the San Diego region this season.

The man died on Jan. 25, and HHSA officials said he had no underlying medical conditions. He did not get a flu shot.

His flu-related death is the fifth in San Diego County this season. Last year, 97 people died locally from complications from the flu, the HHSA said.

County public health officer Dr. Wilma Wooten said this man’s death serves as an unfortunate reminder that the flu can be deadly for people of any age, not just senior citizens.

“The H1N1 virus can be very severe for younger, healthy people, especially those who have not been vaccinated,” Dr. Wooten explained.

She urged San Diegans to get their flu shots as soon as possible.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), anyone six months and older should get a flu vaccine annually. This season’s flu shot offers protection against several strains, including Influenza A H3N2, Pandemic H1N1-like and Influenza B strains.

The CDC said vaccination is especially important for those considered high risk for developing serious complications from influenza. This includes pregnant women, children under 5 years old, people 65 years old and older, people with chronic medical conditions like asthma, diabetes and lung disease and those who live with or care for others who are at higher risk.

The vaccine is available even if you don’t have health insurance at Community Health Centers or County public health centers. A list of those locations is available here.

As of Jan. 30, the HHSA said tallies show that 4 percent of all visits to local hospital emergency departments were for influenza-like illness. A total of 189 lab-confirmed flu cases were reported in San Diego over the past week.

To date so far this season, there have been a 925 lab-confirmed cases of influenza reported in San Diego County. Last season, there were 4,025 cases.

In addition to getting vaccinated, the HHSA said people should take other precautions against the flu, including consistent and thorough hand-washing and using hand sanitizers.

Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes, and often clean commonly touched surfaces. If you’re sick, stay home and avoid contact with others.
 

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