First Flu Death Of 2019-20 Season Hits Los Angeles County

LOS ANGELES, CA — The flu season has barely begun, but Los Angeles County already registered its first flu death, health officials confirmed Monday.

The middle-aged patient had underlying health conditions, according to the county Department of Public Health. Each year, the flu takes dozens of lives around LA County, and authorities are reminding people to get the flu shot and take precautions. During the 2018-19 flu season, there were 125 flu-related deaths in Los Angeles County.

"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, Los Angeles County health officer, said in a statement. "I would like to remind everyone that even if you're health, 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 the flu to others in your community."

The county and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that everyone older than six months be immunized against the flu.

Symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue, according to health officials. Pneumonia is the most common complication of the flu.

City News Service and Patch staffer Paige austin contributed to this report.