Riverside County has reported its first flu-related death for the 2017-18 season, according to Dr. Cameron Kaiser, Riverside County public health officer.
The victim was a Murrieta child under age 10. The child tested positive for influenza, according to health officials.
“This is a tragic reminder that the flu still kills,” Kaiser said in the press release announcing the death. “Get your flu shot and get protected.”
Otherwise, the county reports no unusual spread or number of cases visiting doctors or local hospitals. All the initial data have been within the normal limits.
Kaiser still advises county residents to get a flu shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all persons 6 months of age and older receive a flu vaccination each year.
The child’s vaccination status and whether there were any underlying health issues such as a compromised immune system are not known.
For more information on where flu shots are being offered throughout Riverside County, visit www.rivcoimm.org/.
