Dallas County Health and Human Services confirm the first flu-related death in the county for the 2021-22 season.
The county health department made the announcement Monday, confirming a 46-year-old resident died after contracting the flu. Due to privacy and confidentiality reasons, DCHHS does not disclose personal information on the patient.
Most flu virus usually occurs from October to May, though cases are detected year-round.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 2010 and 2020 between 9 million – 41 million people were infected each year causing between 140,000 – 710,000 hospitalizations and 12,000 – 52,000 deaths annually.
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The Texas Department of State Health Services cautions most cases of flu are not reportable by law. To see the latest Texas Influenza Surveillance Report, click here.
Flu vaccines are readily available and can be taken at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the CDC.
DCHHS said children 5-years-old or younger, adults 65 and older, and pregnant women are at a higher risk of flu complications. DCHHS offers the flu vaccine for children at all our immunization clinics and adults at the central clinic located at 2377 N. Stemmons Freeway in Dallas.