Health Officials Report Child Died Of Flu Complications, 1st In Riverside County This Year

RIVERSIDE (CBSLA) — County health officials in the Inland Empire have reported the first flu-related death of the 2017-18 influenza season, and they're urging everyone to get protected with flu shots.

The victim was identified as a child under 10 years old from Murrieta who died Thursday.

"This is a tragic reminder that the flu still kills," Dr. Cameron Kaiser with the Riverside County Dept. of Public Health warned.

Doctors do not yet know if the child had a health condition or lowered immune system that made them more susceptible to the sickness.

According the Centers for Disease Control, the flu continues to be a growing problem in the United States.

The CDC says Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas are experiencing high "influenza-like illness activity" for the week ending Dec. 9. California is currently in the moderate ILI group.

Last month, a toddler in Orange County died after contracting the flu.