A 52-year-old Dallas County woman is the first person to die from the H1N1 virus in North Texas, health officials confirmed Wednesday.
The woman died Friday, Dallas County Health and Human Services officials said during a press conference on the upcoming flu season. She had pre-existing medical issues which increase the risk of contracting swine flu, health officials said.
Older individuals, pregnant women, young children and people with other health complications are at the highest risk for serious flu complications.
At least 522 people have died of the H1N1 virus in the United States and its territories, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Every year, on average, 5 to 20% of the U.S. population becomes sick with the seasonal flu, the CDC said. The organization said studies show up to 200,000 people are hospitalized and about 36,000 people die due to influenza each year.
Symptoms of flu include fever, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, fatigue and/or muscle aches.
Texans may need three shots this year to combat the H1N1 virus, health officials said. The first, the seasonal vaccine, should be ready in September. The second and third are a booster and a vaccine for the H1N1, which should be ready in mid-October.
Click here to read more about H1N1 reports in Texas and here to read more from the Dallas County Health Department.
