Pennsylvania Reports First Flu Death Of The Season
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
HARRISBURG, Pa. (KDKA) -- The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed the state's first flu death of the season.
In a release on Tuesday, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levin announced there have been 383 laboratory confirmed-flu cases and one flu-associated death in the state. The release said the death was reported during the Week 45 update, which ended on Nov. 7. The individual was in the 50-64-year-old age group.
Health officials are urging Pennsylvanians to get their flu shot if they have not already done so.
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"As flu season is still in the beginning stages, now is the time to get your flu vaccine, if you haven't already, and practice flu safety," Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said in a release. "It is more important than ever to get your flu vaccine amidst the COVID-19 pandemic to protect yourself, your loved ones, and health care workers who are caring for people sick with respiratory illness, from contracting the flu. We know that people who get the flu after being vaccinated have a less severe case and are not sick as long as those who do not get vaccinated."
The release said there are flu cases in 26 of the state's 67 counties.
The flu season could pose a "twindemic" as doctors are uncertain about flu season predictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.